Origin testing is a way to test a new or experimental web platform feature, and provide feedback to the web standards community on the usability, practicality, and effectiveness of the feature, before the feature is available to all users.
Updated
Origin trials give you access to a new or experimental feature to create features that your users can try out for a limited time before the feature is available to everyone.
When Chrome offers a trial of origin for a feature, you can sign up for the trial to enable the feature for all users at its source, without requiring them to change any brands or switch to an alternate version of Chrome (although they may need to update ). Origin testing allows developers to build demos and prototypes using new features. The tests also help Chrome engineers understand how new features are being used and how they can interact with other web technologies.
Proofs of origin are public and open to all developers. They are of limited duration and use. Participation is a self-managed process with limited documentation and support. Participants must be willing and able to work relatively independently using available documentation, which at this stage will likely be limited to API specifications and explanations, although web.dev tries to provide guidance wherever possible.
If you sign up for a trial, the Chrome team will periodically ask you for specific feedback on your use of the trial feature. Some features may experience multiple proofs of origin, as learnings are incorporated and adjustments are made.
How to register for a proof of origin
- Choose a proof of origin from the list of active trials.
- Request a token by clicking on the Check in and filling in the form.
- Add the token to your web pages using one of the following methods:
- Like a meta tag on the of each published page:
- As HTTP header:
Origin-Trial: TOKEN_GOES_HERE
- Like a meta tag on the of each published page:
- Try the new feature.
- Post comments. Do this through the home test site. These comments are not public and are only available to a limited group of people on the Chrome team. Each test also provides a link to receive spontaneous feedback from the community. This usually points to the function on GitHub or some other public channel.
- When your token expires, you will receive an email with a renewal link. To do so, you will be asked again to submit your comments.
Warning:
Even if an API lands unchanged after a successful proof of origin, there is a short period between the end of the proof of origin and the date the implementation is sent to the browser when the API will not be available. This is by design. If we avoided the mandatory full break period, we would lean towards avoiding API surface breaks as well, and the final shipping API could potentially be worse.
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