#@lynx-js/cef-webview

@lynx-js/cef-webview is the officially maintained Lynxtron native library that provides the CEF-backed <webview> element. It ships platform-specific Lynxtron native artifacts and a ./lynxtron entry that loads the current platform artifact so its static Lynx registrations run in the host process.

#Install

npm install @lynx-js/cef-webview

yarn add @lynx-js/cef-webview

pnpm add @lynx-js/cef-webview

bun add @lynx-js/cef-webview

deno add npm:@lynx-js/cef-webview

#Host Entry

Import the Lynxtron entry in the main process before creating a LynxWindow or loading a Lynx bundle:

import { app } from '@lynx-js/lynxtron';
import cefWebview from '@lynx-js/cef-webview/lynxtron';

app.whenReady().then(() => {
  cefWebview.initialize();
  // Create LynxWindow instances after this call.
});

The initialize() method initializes Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) for the current process. AutoLink also uses the ./lynxtron entry when staging the package for a Lynxtron host build.

#Initialization Result and Process Limit

initialize(): boolean returns true on success and throws when native initialization fails. Do not continue creating WebViews after a failure; inspect the native logs for the cause.

CEF selects its storage directory based on the host application's identity. Multiple instances sharing the same identity may encounter storage conflicts. One host can create multiple WebViews. A storage conflict is one possible initialization failure, not the only cause.

The root and ./lynxtron exports include TypeScript declarations for this host API.

#Exports

#Package Metadata

The package includes lynx.lib.json with Lynxtron metadata. The following excerpt abbreviates the complete platform matrix and Windows runtime file list:

{
  "platforms": {
    "lynxtron": {
      "targets": [
        {
          "os": "darwin",
          "arch": "arm64",
          "files": ["dist/darwin/arm64/cef_extension.node"],
          "frameworks": [
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/Chromium Embedded Framework.framework"
          ],
          "appBundles": [
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/LynxtronWebview Helper.app",
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/LynxtronWebview Helper (Alerts).app",
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/LynxtronWebview Helper (GPU).app",
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/LynxtronWebview Helper (Plugin).app",
            "dist/darwin/arm64/frameworks/LynxtronWebview Helper (Renderer).app"
          ]
        },
        {
          "os": "win32",
          "arch": "x64",
          "files": [
            "dist/win32/x64/cef_extension.node",
            "dist/win32/x64/cef_subprocess.exe",
            "dist/win32/x64/libcef.dll",
            "dist/win32/x64/locales"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

files lists payloads that remain together in the installed package. frameworks and appBundles list macOS bundles that the builder places in Contents/Frameworks; nested applications are also included in the host's signing flow.

For the end-to-end setup flow, see Using webview in Lynxtron.