Proposal: Transparent window #7281
Description
Proposal: Transparent window
Another missing key feature of the web platform in comparison to native applications is the ability to create transparent windows. This issue aims to elaborate ideas on possible implementations of transparent windows. The goal is to provide a mechanism on how authors can create a transparent window effect resulting in the following:
Additionally, authors should then be able to, for example, set a transparent background-color and a backdrop-filter: blur() on the :root and/or <body> element to achive an effect like this:
An implementation of this feature would allow for a richer and more modern visual experience for users.
Possible implementation ideas
The following are possible ideas on how authors could be able to enable the transparent window effect:
- A new property in the viewport
<meta>tag, e.g.transparent-window=yes. - A new CSS property that is only valid in the
:rootand/or<body>element, e.g.window-transparency: transparent. - A new Web Application Manifest member, e.g.
"transparent_window": true, which would only be applied in the context of a standalone installed Progressive Web App.
Privacy implications?
A key concern here should be that there is no way for the website to view stuff underneath the window. However, since there is no way to read pixel data of the client's viewport in JavaScript, I do not think there are extra privacy implications to consider here.