> **CRITICAL**: This mode is for widgets **embedded as iframes in external web pages**. > This is **NOT** a native window. This is **NOT** Jupyter. The widget is sandboxed.
Scanned 5/27/2026
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openskills install deeleeramone/PyWry# iFrame Embed Mode
> **CRITICAL**: This mode is for widgets **embedded as iframes in external web pages**.
> This is **NOT** a native window. This is **NOT** Jupyter. The widget is sandboxed.
## What iFrame Mode IS
You're creating widgets to be **embedded as iframes** in external pages:
- Widget served at a URL: `http://host:port/widget/{widget_id}`
- Embedded via `<iframe src="...">` in parent page
- Sandboxed execution - isolated from parent
- Cross-origin restrictions apply
## What iFrame Mode is NOT
❌ **NOT a native window** - No OS integration, no native dialogs
❌ **NOT Jupyter** - No kernel, no notebook context
❌ **NOT the main page** - You're embedded, constrained by parent
## Architecture
```
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Parent Web Page (any origin) │
│ │
│ <iframe src="http://pywry-server:port/widget/abc123" │
│ width="100%" height="500"> │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ PyWry Widget (sandboxed) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Your Content (HTML/CSS/JS) │ │ │
│ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [Toolbars, Charts, Forms, etc.] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ </iframe> │
│ │
│ Other page content... │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↕ postMessage for communication
```
## Key Constraints
### Fixed Dimensions
- Width and height determined by parent's `<iframe>` tag
- Widget cannot resize itself
- Design for specific dimensions or be responsive
### Sandboxed Execution
- Cannot access parent DOM
- Cannot read parent cookies/storage
- Limited access to some browser APIs
- Navigation stays within iframe (unless allowed)
### Cross-Origin Restrictions
- Widget origin ≠ parent origin (usually)
- Communication via `postMessage` only
- Some features require `allow` attributes
## Best Practices
### 1. Sizing - Design for Fixed Dimensions
```python
# The parent controls your size
# <iframe src="..." width="600" height="400">
# Design content to fit
content = Div(
content="...",
style="width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: auto;",
)
```
### 2. Toolbars - Keep Minimal
```python
# Screen real estate is precious
create_widget(
html=content.build_html(),
toolbars=[{
"position": "top",
"items": [
# Compact: icons only or short labels
{"type": "button", "label": "⟳", "event": "refresh"},
{"type": "toggle", "label": "Auto", "event": "auto-update"},
]
}]
)
```
### 3. Navigation - Stays in Frame
```python
# By default, navigation stays within iframe
navigate(widget_id, url="/other-view") # Still in iframe
# External links may be blocked by parent
# Use with caution:
navigate(widget_id, url="https://external.com", external=True)
```
### 4. Downloads - May Require Gesture
```python
# Some browsers block downloads from iframes
# Ensure download is triggered by user action
# (button click, not automatic)
```
## Security Considerations
### Sandboxing Protects Both Sides
- Widget can't access parent page data
- Parent can't directly access widget DOM
- Use this for untrusted contexts
### Secret Handling
```python
# Never expose secrets in URL or logs
# Use SecretInput handler - value stays server-side
create_widget(
toolbars=[{
"items": [
{"type": "secret", "label": "API Key", "event": "api-key"},
]
}]
)
```
### Token-Based Access
```python
# Consider adding tokens to widget URLs for access control
# http://host:port/widget/{widget_id}?token={access_token}
```
## Recommended Components
| Component | Why |
|-----------|-----|
| `Button` | Compact action triggers |
| `Toggle` | On/off states (saves space) |
| `Select` | Dropdowns (vertical space efficient) |
| `Plotly` | Self-contained interactive charts |
## Communication with Parent
### Widget → Parent (via events)
```python
# Widget emits events that parent can receive
# Parent listens for postMessage events
#
# Parent page JavaScript:
# window.addEventListener('message', (e) => {
# if (e.data.type === 'pywry:event') {
# console.log(e.data.event_type, e.data.data);
# }
# });
```
### Parent → Widget (via send_event)
```python
# Server can send events to widget
send_event(widget_id, event_type="parent:message", data={"action": "refresh"})
```
## Embedding Pattern
### Basic Embed
```html
<iframe
src="http://pywry-server:8001/widget/my-chart"
width="100%"
height="500"
frameborder="0"
loading="lazy">
</iframe>
```
### With Permissions
```html
<iframe
src="http://pywry-server:8001/widget/my-chart"
width="100%"
height="500"
frameborder="0"
allow="clipboard-write; downloads"
sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">
</iframe>
```
## Code Example
```python
from pywry import PyWry
from pywry.toolbar import Div, Button, Toggle, Toolbar
app = PyWry()
# Compact content for iframe embedding
content = Div(
content="""
<div style="padding: 12px;">
<div id="status" style="margin-bottom: 12px;">Ready</div>
<div id="chart" style="height: 350px;"></div>
</div>
""",
component_id="embed-widget",
)
# Create embeddable widget
widget = app.show(
html=content.build_html(),
height=450,
toolbars=[
Toolbar(
position="top",
items=[
Button(label="⟳ Refresh", event="refresh"),
Toggle(label="Live", event="live-mode", value=False),
]
)
]
)
# Widget is now available at:
# http://localhost:port/widget/{widget.id}
print(f"Embed URL: {widget.url}")
# Handle events server-side
while True:
events = widget.get_events(clear=True)
for e in events:
if e["event_type"] == "refresh":
new_data = fetch_data()
widget.set_content(component_id="chart", html=render_chart(new_data))
elif e["event_type"] == "live-mode":
if e["data"]["value"]:
start_live_updates()
else:
stop_live_updates()
```
## iFrame-Specific Features
### Responsive Design
```python
# Widget should adapt to container size
inject_css(widget_id, css="""
@media (max-width: 400px) {
.toolbar { flex-direction: column; }
.chart { height: 200px; }
}
""")
```
### Loading States
```python
# Parent may show iframe slowly - show loading state
content = Div(
content="<div class='loading'>Loading...</div>",
component_id="content",
)
# Then update when data is ready
```
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