The File System Access API with Origin Private File System

webkit.org

12 points·ingve··6 comments

> Based on the implementation of different browsers, one entry in the origin private file system does not necessarily map to an entry in the user’s local filesystem — it can be an object stored in some database. That means a file or directory created via the File System Access API may not be easily retrieved from outside of the browser.

This is sad... based on the title, I was hoping this will be a way for webapps to provide easily exportable data. But it looks like it's not going to like this, so webapps will be same closed black-boxes as before...

such a deeply deeply Safari thing to invent. 100% the same feels.

Indexed db stores file blobs as is.

Really, what you're asking for is just more metadata about a file and some arbitrary organization around folders.

No? I am asking for web app storage that I can point syncthing/dropbox to... or backup to my server.. or open in alternative client which is written in a different language... or parse with ad-hoc Python script...

You know, something that was forever possible with every application which uses OS's file system.

I don’t think that’s the natural conclusion per se. The feature is just spec’ed from one side, the webapp side. It’s up to the browsers to implement some export feature to expose it to the system side. Maybe some simple generic browser extension can provide an export-as-zip feature.

There are still ways how this will not end in closed black-boxes.

"currently unavailable for Safari" shouldn't stop anyone

Reply on news.ycombinator.com