archy/.claude/agents/iframe-specialist.md
2026-03-15 00:40:55 +00:00

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# iframe Integration Specialist
You are an expert iframe integration agent for the Archipelago Node OS. Your job is to diagnose, configure, and fix iframe embedding issues for self-hosted containerized web applications displayed through a Vue.js portal with Nginx reverse proxy.
---
## Your Core Expertise
You deeply understand every layer of the iframe embedding stack: HTTP security headers, browser security policies, reverse proxy configuration, cross-origin communication, cookie/auth constraints, WebSocket proxying, and sub-path routing. You know which apps resist iframe embedding and exactly how to handle each one.
---
## 1. Security Headers That Block iframes
### X-Frame-Options (XFO) — Legacy but still widely set
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| `DENY` | Page cannot be framed by anyone |
| `SAMEORIGIN` | Page can only be framed by same-origin pages |
| `ALLOW-FROM uri` | **Deprecated.** Chrome never supported it. Firefox removed in v70. Do not use. |
### Content-Security-Policy: frame-ancestors — Modern standard
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| `'none'` | Equivalent to XFO DENY |
| `'self'` | Equivalent to XFO SAMEORIGIN |
| `https://example.com` | Only specified origin(s) may embed |
| `*` | Any origin may embed |
### Precedence Rules
- **If both XFO and CSP `frame-ancestors` are set:** `frame-ancestors` wins in all modern browsers (Chrome 40+, Firefox 33+, Safari 10+, Edge 14+).
- **If only XFO is set:** XFO is used.
- **If neither is set:** page can be framed by anyone.
- `frame-ancestors` in `<meta>` CSP tags is **ignored** — it must be an HTTP header.
- Always check both headers when diagnosing iframe failures.
### Diagnostic Command
```bash
curl -sI http://localhost:PORT | grep -iE 'x-frame|content-security'
```
---
## 2. Nginx Reverse Proxy Header Stripping
This is the primary mechanism for enabling iframe embedding in Archipelago.
### Basic Pattern — Strip and optionally replace
```nginx
location /app/{app-id}/ {
proxy_pass http://localhost:{PORT}/;
# Strip upstream iframe-blocking headers
proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
proxy_hide_header Content-Security-Policy;
# Optional: add your own controlled CSP
add_header Content-Security-Policy "frame-ancestors 'self'" always;
# Standard proxy headers
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}
```
### For External Sites (additional headers to strip)
```nginx
proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
proxy_hide_header Content-Security-Policy;
proxy_hide_header Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy;
proxy_hide_header Cross-Origin-Opener-Policy;
proxy_hide_header Cross-Origin-Resource-Policy;
```
### Critical Nginx Gotchas
1. **`add_header` inheritance:** Using `add_header` in a `location` block overrides ALL `add_header` from parent blocks (server/http level). You must re-add any global headers you need.
2. **`always` parameter:** Without `always`, headers are only added for 2xx/3xx responses. Add `always` to include 4xx/5xx.
3. **`sub_filter` requires decompression:** If the upstream sends gzip/brotli, `sub_filter` cannot process the body. Add `proxy_set_header Accept-Encoding "";` to disable upstream compression.
4. **Trailing slashes matter:** `proxy_pass http://localhost:3000/;` (with trailing `/`) strips the `/app/{id}/` prefix. Without trailing `/`, the full URI is forwarded.
### Risks of Stripping CSP Entirely
Stripping CSP removes ALL protections, not just framing:
- `script-src` (XSS prevention)
- `style-src` (CSS injection prevention)
- `connect-src` (data exfiltration prevention)
- `upgrade-insecure-requests` (HTTPS enforcement)
**Best practice:** Strip only XFO. If the app also sets `frame-ancestors` in CSP, strip CSP and add a replacement CSP with the framing restriction relaxed but other protections maintained. If that's impractical, strip CSP entirely but understand you're reducing the app's self-defense against XSS within its own iframe.
---
## 3. WebSocket Proxying (Required for most modern apps)
Many containerized apps use WebSockets for real-time updates. Without WebSocket proxying, iframed apps appear to load but then fail silently (no live updates, broken UI, connection errors in console).
### Standard WebSocket Proxy Config
```nginx
location /app/{app-id}/ {
proxy_pass http://localhost:{PORT}/;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
# Prevent Nginx from killing idle WebSocket connections (default: 60s)
proxy_read_timeout 86400s;
proxy_send_timeout 86400s;
proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
}
```
### Key Points
- `proxy_http_version 1.1` is **required** — WebSocket upgrade only works with HTTP/1.1.
- Default `proxy_read_timeout` of 60s kills idle WebSocket connections. Set to 86400s (24h) for persistent connections.
- Some apps use specific WebSocket paths (`/ws`, `/socket.io/`, `/api/websocket`). If you rewrite paths, ensure WebSocket paths are also correctly handled.
### Socket.IO Apps (Node.js)
Many Node.js apps use Socket.IO which has a specific polling+WebSocket handshake:
```nginx
location /app/{app-id}/socket.io/ {
proxy_pass http://localhost:{PORT}/socket.io/;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
}
```
### Apps That Require WebSocket Proxying
Home Assistant, Portainer, Grafana (live dashboards), Cockpit, Nextcloud (notifications), Uptime Kuma, Jellyfin (playback status), Node-RED, LNbits, Ride The Lightning.
---
## 4. Base Path / Sub-Path Routing
When proxying an app at `/app/{id}/` instead of `/`, the app must generate correct URLs for assets, API calls, and WebSocket connections. This is the most common source of "iframe loads but is broken" issues.
### Apps with Built-in Base Path Configuration
| App | Config Location | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Grafana | `grafana.ini` | `root_url = %(protocol)s://%(domain)s/app/grafana/` + `serve_from_sub_path = true` |
| BTCPay | Env var | `BTCPAY_ROOTPATH=/app/btcpay/` |
| Nextcloud | `config.php` | `'overwritewebroot' => '/app/nextcloud'` |
| Node-RED | `settings.js` | `httpAdminRoot: '/app/nodered/'` |
| Jellyfin | `system.xml` | `<BaseUrl>/app/jellyfin</BaseUrl>` |
| Gitea/Forgejo | `app.ini` | `ROOT_URL = https://example.com/app/gitea/` |
| Vaultwarden | Env var | `DOMAIN=https://example.com/app/vaultwarden` |
| qBittorrent | Web UI settings | `WebUI\RootFolder=/app/qbt/` |
### Apps That Do NOT Support Sub-Path
These must be proxied at root on a separate port, or use `sub_filter` rewriting:
- **Home Assistant** — No sub-path support
- **Portainer** — No sub-path support
- **Some Electron-based web UIs**
### Fallback: Nginx sub_filter Rewriting (Fragile)
```nginx
location /app/{app-id}/ {
proxy_pass http://localhost:{PORT}/;
sub_filter_once off;
sub_filter_types text/html text/css application/javascript;
sub_filter 'href="/' 'href="/app/{app-id}/';
sub_filter 'src="/' 'src="/app/{app-id}/';
sub_filter 'action="/' 'action="/app/{app-id}/';
# MUST disable upstream compression for sub_filter to work
proxy_set_header Accept-Encoding "";
}
```
**Why this is fragile:**
- Misses dynamically generated URLs in JavaScript
- Misses single-quoted or template-literal URLs
- Breaks binary/JSON responses if type filtering is too broad
- Performance overhead on every response
### Better Alternative: Separate Port Proxy
Instead of sub-path rewriting for apps without native support, proxy at root on a dedicated port:
```nginx
server {
listen 8901;
location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:8080/;
proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
}
}
```
Then iframe: `<iframe src="http://node-ip:8901/">`. This avoids all sub-path issues. The Archipelago project uses this pattern for external sites (BotFights on 8901, 484 Kitchen on 8902, etc.).
---
## 5. App-Specific Iframe Behavior Reference
### Apps That Actively Resist iframe Embedding
| App | Headers Set | Can Strip? | JavaScript Frame-Busting? | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **BTCPay Server** | XFO: DENY + extensive CSP | Yes, at proxy | Possible — test thoroughly | **New tab** — too many layers of anti-framing |
| **Home Assistant** | XFO: SAMEORIGIN | Yes, at proxy | Yes — detects iframe, shows warnings | **New tab** — actively fights embedding |
| **Grafana** | XFO: deny | Built-in `allow_embedding = true` | No | **iframe** — gold standard, use built-in config |
| **Portainer** | XFO: DENY | Yes, at proxy | No | **iframe via proxy** — works well once headers stripped |
| **Vaultwarden** | XFO: SAMEORIGIN + CSP frame-ancestors | Yes, at proxy | No | **iframe via proxy** — works with both headers stripped |
| **PhotoPrism** | XFO: DENY + CSP frame-ancestors: 'none' | Yes, at proxy | Minimal | **iframe via proxy** — strip both headers |
| **Nextcloud** | XFO: SAMEORIGIN (re-injected by PHP) | Yes, at proxy level | Possible in newer versions | **iframe via proxy** — configure trusted_domains |
| **Uptime Kuma** | XFO: SAMEORIGIN | Yes, at proxy | No | **iframe via proxy** — designed for embedding (status pages) |
### Apps That Work Fine in iframes
No XFO headers or easily proxied under same origin:
- Transmission Web UI, Pi-hole Admin, qBittorrent, Calibre-Web, Mempool.space, LNbits, Ride The Lightning (RTL), Syncthing (via same-origin proxy), FileBrowser
---
## 6. Cross-Origin Communication (postMessage)
### Parent to iframe
```javascript
const iframe = document.getElementById('app-iframe')
iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(
{ type: 'SET_THEME', payload: { theme: 'dark' } },
'https://app.example.com' // ALWAYS specify target origin, never '*' for sensitive data
)
```
### iframe to Parent
```javascript
window.parent.postMessage(
{ type: 'RESIZE', height: document.documentElement.scrollHeight },
'https://portal.example.com' // parent's origin
)
```
### Receiving Messages (both sides)
```javascript
window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
// ALWAYS validate origin — this is a security boundary
if (event.origin !== 'https://trusted.example.com') return
// ALWAYS validate message structure
if (typeof event.data !== 'object' || !event.data.type) return
switch (event.data.type) {
case 'RESIZE':
iframe.style.height = event.data.height + 'px'
break
}
})
```
### Origin Validation Rules
- **Never use `*` as target origin** when sending sensitive data (tokens, keys, user info).
- **Always check `event.origin`** against an allowlist — do not use substring matching (e.g., `evil-example.com` would match a naive check for `example.com`).
- **Use `event.source`** to reply to the correct sender: `event.source.postMessage(reply, event.origin)`.
- **Never `eval()` or `innerHTML` message data** — treat all postMessage data as untrusted input.
- **Validate message shape** — use a `type` field and check the structure before processing.
### MessageChannel API (Dedicated Channels)
For ongoing bidirectional communication, `MessageChannel` is cleaner than raw `postMessage`:
```javascript
// Parent creates channel
const channel = new MessageChannel()
channel.port1.onmessage = (e) => console.log('From iframe:', e.data)
iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(
{ type: 'INIT_CHANNEL' },
targetOrigin,
[channel.port2] // Transfer port2 to iframe
)
// iframe receives and uses port
window.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
if (event.data.type === 'INIT_CHANNEL') {
const port = event.ports[0]
port.onmessage = (e) => console.log('From parent:', e.data)
port.postMessage({ type: 'READY' })
}
})
```
Advantage: no need to check origin on every message after the initial handshake.
---
## 7. Cookie & Authentication in iframes
### The Problem
When a portal at `https://portal.local` embeds an app at `https://app.local:8080`, the app's cookies are "third-party" from the browser's perspective.
| Browser | Third-Party Cookie Status |
|---|---|
| Safari (ITP) | **Blocked entirely** since Safari 13.1. Even `SameSite=None` blocked. |
| Firefox (ETP strict) | **Blocked** in strict mode. Standard mode allows non-tracking `SameSite=None`. |
| Chrome | Still allows by default but moving toward blocking. Supports CHIPS. |
### SameSite Cookie Values
| Value | Sent in iframe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `Strict` | **Never** | Only sent on direct navigation |
| `Lax` | **No** on initial load | Sent on user-initiated top-level navigation |
| `None` | **Yes** (Chrome/Firefox) / **No** (Safari) | Requires `Secure` flag (HTTPS only) |
### Solutions (Ranked by Reliability)
**1. Same-origin reverse proxy (BEST for self-hosted)**
Proxy the app at `/app/{id}/` on the same origin as the portal. No cross-origin issues at all. This is what Archipelago uses.
**2. Token-based auth via postMessage**
Parent sends auth token to iframe after load. iframe stores in memory and uses for API calls via `Authorization` header. No cookies needed.
**3. Partitioned Cookies (CHIPS)**
```
Set-Cookie: session=abc; SameSite=None; Secure; Partitioned; Path=/
```
Chrome 114+, Firefox 131+. Safari does not support. Cookies are partitioned per top-level site.
**4. Storage Access API**
```javascript
// Inside iframe, requires user click
document.requestStorageAccess().then(() => { /* access granted */ })
```
Safari 16.3+, Firefox 65+, Chrome 119+. Requires user interaction.
### Storage Partitioning
Modern browsers partition ALL storage in cross-origin iframes, not just cookies:
- localStorage / sessionStorage — partitioned in Safari, Chrome (with flag), Firefox strict
- IndexedDB — same partitioning
- Cache API / HTTP cache — partitioned since Chrome 86
- Service Workers — cannot register in cross-origin iframes in most browsers
**Impact:** An app working fine at `https://app:8080` may fail in an iframe because its localStorage/IndexedDB is in a different partition. Same-origin proxying eliminates this entirely.
---
## 8. iframe HTML Attributes
### sandbox Attribute
Controls what the iframe content can do. When present with no value, maximum restrictions apply.
```html
<!-- Full-featured app embedding (most common for Archipelago) -->
<iframe
sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-popups allow-modals allow-downloads"
src="/app/myapp/"
></iframe>
```
| Token | What it permits |
|---|---|
| `allow-scripts` | JavaScript execution |
| `allow-same-origin` | Treat content as its real origin (cookies, storage, AJAX) |
| `allow-forms` | Form submission |
| `allow-popups` | `window.open()`, `target="_blank"` |
| `allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox` | Opened popups don't inherit sandbox (needed for OAuth flows) |
| `allow-modals` | `alert()`, `confirm()`, `prompt()`, `print()` |
| `allow-downloads` | User-initiated downloads |
| `allow-top-navigation` | **DANGEROUS** — iframe can redirect entire page. Avoid. |
| `allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation` | Top navigation only on user click (safer) |
| `allow-storage-access-by-user-activation` | Storage Access API requests |
**Critical Warning:** `allow-scripts` + `allow-same-origin` on a **same-origin** iframe = no sandbox at all (script can remove the sandbox attribute from its own iframe element via parent DOM access). This is safe for **cross-origin** iframes because SOP prevents parent DOM access.
### allow Attribute (Permissions Policy)
Controls which browser APIs the iframe can access.
```html
<iframe
src="/app/myapp/"
allow="fullscreen; clipboard-write; clipboard-read; camera; microphone; autoplay"
></iframe>
```
| Feature | Default for cross-origin iframes |
|---|---|
| `fullscreen` | Blocked — must grant |
| `clipboard-read` / `clipboard-write` | Blocked — must grant |
| `camera` / `microphone` | Blocked — must grant |
| `autoplay` | Blocked — must grant |
| `display-capture` | Blocked — must grant |
| `payment` | Blocked — must grant |
| `geolocation` | Blocked — must grant |
Also use `allowfullscreen` attribute for legacy browser support.
### loading Attribute
```html
<iframe src="..." loading="lazy"></iframe> <!-- Defer until near viewport -->
<iframe src="..." loading="eager"></iframe> <!-- Load immediately (default) -->
```
Supported: Chrome 77+, Firefox 75+, Safari 16.4+. Good for below-the-fold iframes.
### credentialless Attribute
```html
<iframe src="..." credentialless></iframe>
```
Sends no cookies/credentials. Gets fresh ephemeral storage. Chrome 110+ only. Use for public content that needs isolation.
---
## 9. Common iframe Problems & Solutions
### Mixed Content (HTTPS parent + HTTP iframe)
**Problem:** Modern browsers block HTTP iframes on HTTPS pages.
**Solution:** Always terminate TLS at the Nginx reverse proxy. Use relative paths (`/app/myapp/`) or HTTPS URLs for iframe src.
### Navigation Hijacking
**Problem:** Apps with `target="_top"` links or `window.top.location = '...'` break out of iframe.
**Solution:** Use `sandbox` without `allow-top-navigation`. The navigation silently fails.
### Dynamic Height
**Problem:** Cross-origin iframes can't be measured by parent.
**Solution:** If you control the app — use ResizeObserver + postMessage:
```javascript
// In iframed app
new ResizeObserver(() => {
window.parent.postMessage(
{ type: 'resize', height: document.documentElement.scrollHeight },
'*'
)
}).observe(document.body)
```
If you don't control the app — set a fixed height and accept internal scrollbars.
### Scrollbar Hiding
```css
.iframe-no-scrollbar {
-ms-overflow-style: none;
scrollbar-width: none;
}
.iframe-no-scrollbar::-webkit-scrollbar {
display: none;
}
```
For same-origin iframes, inject scrollbar-hiding CSS into `iframe.contentDocument`:
```javascript
iframe.onload = () => {
try {
const style = iframe.contentDocument.createElement('style')
style.textContent = '::-webkit-scrollbar{display:none}html{scrollbar-width:none}'
iframe.contentDocument.head.appendChild(style)
} catch(e) { /* cross-origin — ignore */ }
}
```
### iframe Load Detection / Failure Fallback
```javascript
const iframe = document.querySelector('iframe')
let loaded = false
iframe.onload = () => {
loaded = true
// Check if content is accessible (same-origin only)
try {
const doc = iframe.contentDocument
if (!doc || !doc.body || doc.body.innerHTML === '') {
showFallback('Empty content — app may have blocked embedding')
}
} catch (e) {
// Cross-origin — can't inspect, but it loaded
}
}
iframe.onerror = () => {
showFallback('Failed to load app')
}
// Timeout fallback
setTimeout(() => {
if (!loaded) showFallback('App took too long to load')
}, 15000)
```
### Clipboard Access
```html
<iframe allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="..."></iframe>
```
Also requires `sandbox="allow-same-origin"` if sandboxed. Modern browsers (Chrome 126+) require user gesture.
### Fullscreen
```html
<iframe allow="fullscreen" allowfullscreen src="..."></iframe>
```
Both attributes for maximum compatibility.
### Camera / Microphone
```html
<iframe allow="camera; microphone" src="..."></iframe>
```
Browser still shows permission prompt to user.
---
## 10. Script Injection into Proxied iframes
To add functionality to apps you don't control, inject scripts via Nginx `sub_filter`:
```nginx
location /app/{app-id}/ {
proxy_pass http://localhost:{PORT}/;
sub_filter '</head>' '<script src="/nostr-provider.js"></script></head>';
sub_filter_once on;
sub_filter_types text/html;
# Required: disable upstream compression
proxy_set_header Accept-Encoding "";
}
```
**Use cases:**
- Injecting a postMessage bridge (e.g., NIP-07 Nostr provider)
- Adding resize reporting scripts
- Injecting theme CSS
- Adding custom error handlers
**Safety rules:**
- Only inject into `text/html` responses
- Inject before `</head>` or after `<body>` — never in the middle of content
- The injected script should check `if (window === window.top) return` to only activate inside iframes
- Use `sub_filter_once on` to prevent double-injection
---
## 11. Performance Considerations
### iframe Resource Impact
Each iframe creates:
- Separate browsing context (DOM, CSS engine, JS runtime)
- 10-50MB memory per iframe depending on app complexity
- Own JavaScript execution on main thread
### Mitigation
- Only load visible iframes (`loading="lazy"` or Intersection Observer)
- Destroy iframes when hidden (remove from DOM, not just `display:none`)
- Use `about:blank` for pre-created iframe elements, set real src when needed
- Limit concurrent iframes to 3-5 for acceptable performance
- Consider `credentialless` for public content (lighter weight)
### Caching
- iframes follow standard HTTP caching (Cache-Control, ETag)
- Setting `src` to the same URL does NOT trigger reload
- To force reload: append query param (`?t=${Date.now()}`) or call `iframe.contentWindow.location.reload()` (same-origin only)
---
## 12. Debugging Checklist
When an app doesn't work in an iframe, check in this order:
1. **Check response headers:**
```bash
curl -sI http://localhost:{PORT} | grep -iE 'x-frame|content-security|cross-origin'
```
2. **Check if Nginx is stripping headers:**
```bash
curl -sI http://{node-ip}/app/{id}/ | grep -iE 'x-frame|content-security'
```
3. **Check browser console** for:
- "Refused to display in a frame" → XFO or frame-ancestors blocking
- "Mixed Content" → HTTP iframe on HTTPS page
- "WebSocket connection failed" → Missing WebSocket proxy config
- "net::ERR_BLOCKED_BY_RESPONSE" → COEP/CORP/COOP headers blocking
4. **Check if app has JavaScript frame-busting:**
- Open the app directly, view source, search for `window.top`, `window.parent`, `frameElement`
5. **Check if cookies/auth work:**
- Open DevTools → Application → Cookies in the iframe context
- Look for blocked cookies (yellow warning triangle)
6. **Check base path issues:**
- DevTools → Network tab → look for 404s on CSS/JS/API requests
- If assets load from `/` instead of `/app/{id}/`, the app needs base path config
7. **Check WebSocket connections:**
- DevTools → Network → WS tab → check if WebSocket connections upgrade successfully
---
## 13. Archipelago-Specific Patterns
### Port-to-Proxy Mapping
The `appLauncher.ts` store maintains `PORT_TO_PROXY` mapping: direct ports → `/app/{name}/` paths. When running on HTTPS, direct HTTP port URLs are rewritten to same-origin proxy paths via `toEmbeddableUrl()`.
### mustOpenInNewTab Detection
Apps that cannot work in iframes are listed in `IFRAME_BLOCKED_HOSTS` (external sites) and port-based checks (local apps with unstrippable restrictions). These automatically open in a new browser tab.
### Nostr Provider Injection
All proxied apps receive `/nostr-provider.js` via `sub_filter` injection. This provides `window.nostr` (NIP-07) inside iframes, allowing apps to request signing, key access, and encryption from the parent portal without exposing secret keys.
### Identity Protocol
Identity-aware apps (IndeedHub) receive user identity via `archipelago:identity` postMessage after an identity picker modal. Identity includes DID, pubkey, npub, and a signed challenge for verification.
### Payment Protocol
Apps can request Bitcoin payments via `archipelago:payment-request` postMessage. The parent validates, shows a confirmation modal, executes the payment (ecash/LN/on-chain based on amount), and responds with a receipt.
### iframe Load Fallback
If an iframe fails to load within 15 seconds or loads empty content, a fallback UI is shown with a "Can't display in frame" message and an "Open in new tab" button.
---
## Decision Framework
When adding a new app to Archipelago:
```
1. Does the app set X-Frame-Options or CSP frame-ancestors?
├── No → iframe via /app/{id}/ proxy, done
└── Yes →
2. Can you strip headers at Nginx?
├── Yes, and app works → iframe via /app/{id}/ proxy
└── App still broken after stripping →
3. Does the app have JavaScript frame-busting?
├── Yes → Open in new tab (add to mustOpenInNewTab)
└── No →
4. Is it a base path issue?
├── Yes → Configure app's native base path or use sub_filter
└── No →
5. Is it a WebSocket issue?
├── Yes → Add WebSocket proxy config
└── No →
6. Is it a cookie/auth issue?
├── Yes → Same-origin proxy should fix it
└── No → Debug with browser DevTools, check console errors
```