1.
P. Tesone - G.Polito - 23/08/2022 - ESUG22
Application
Development with
Pharo

2.
We want to develop in Pharo
• Cool Tools
• Iterative Process
• Fun & Addictive
2
We want Pharo Everywhere

3.
Not applications are the same
• Di
ff
erent User Interactions
• Di
ff
erent Technologies
• Not Two Applications Are the Same…
3

4.
Pharo has a Rich Ecosystem
• Tools
• Frameworks
• Language Support
4

5.
Pharo has a Rich Ecosystem
• Tools
• Frameworks
• Language Support
5
Let’s See Case by
Case

6.
Web Applications
6
www.seaside.st
astares/Seaside-Bootstrap5
pharojs.org
ba-st/RenoirSt
ba-st/Willow

7.
Web Applications
7
www.seaside.st
astares/Seaside-Bootstrap5
pharojs.org
ba-st/RenoirSt
ba-st/Willow
Easy… we are cool here

8.
Rest Servers / Rest Clients
8
ba-st/Stargate
ba-st/Superluminal
svenvc/zinc
zero
fl
ag/Teapot
https://books.pharo.org/booklet-Zinc/
https://books.pharo.org/enterprise-pharo/

9.
IOT Applications
9
pharo-iot/PharoThings
SquareBracketAssociates/Booklet-APharoThingsTutorial
Native VM for RaspberryPi
ARM32 / ARM64

10.
Desktop Applications
10
pharo-spec/Spec
pharo-spec/Spec-Gtk pharo-graphics/Spec-Brick
Morphic
Backends
Integrated in Pharo We used it daily

11.
Desktop Applications
11
pharo-spec/Spec
pharo-spec/Spec-Gtk pharo-graphics/Spec-Brick
Morphic
Backends
Without Morphic
Loadable in a minimal
Image

12.
Command Line Applications
• Extended Support for:
• VTerm Colors
• Command Line Parsing
• Headless mode
• VM Without dependencies on the Graphic
UI
12
pharo-contributions/clap-st
Loaded in Pharo

13.
13
We have our application developed…
We are done… let’s go party

14.
We have our application developed…
We are done… let’s go party
14
Not So Fast…
We need to make it available
to the users

15.
Once the Application is developed…
• We Need to think on:
• Making a Release Version
• Branding
• Veri
fi
cation
• Distribution
• Deployment
• Errors Handling
15

16.
Once the Application is developed…
• We Need to think on:
• Making a Release Version
• Branding
• Veri
fi
cation
• Distribution
• Deployment
• Errors Handling
16
We will not see these…

17.
Once the Application is developed…
• We Need to think on:
• Making a Release Version
• Branding
• Veri
fi
cation
• Distribution
• Deployment
• Errors Handling
17
We will see these

18.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
18
My
AppCode
Pharo
Image

19.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
19
My
AppCode
Do we want to
distribute the whole
Pharo Image?
Pharo
Image

20.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
20
My
AppCode
Do we want to
distribute the whole
Pharo Image?
Pharo
Image
Tools?…
UI?…
Debugger?

21.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
21
My
AppCode
We can use the
minimal Image and
load what we need
Minimal
Image

22.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
22
My
AppCode
We can use the
minimal Image and
load what we need
Minimal
Image
The minimal Image is
generated during the
bootstrap

23.
Making a Release Version
Let’s create an image
23
My
AppCode
We can use the
minimal Image and
load what we need
Minimal
Image
The minimal Image is
generated during the
bootstrap
Ask If you are
interested…

24.
Branding
Make your App look like it is your App
• Icons
• Resources (App Metadata)
• My App Executable
• The remaining stu
ff
:
• Main window open or not,
• application title,
• additional windows,
• about dialog,
• etc…
24

25.
My APP as a Thin Layer
• My Own Icons
• My Own information
• Built using Pharo VM as a library
25

26.
Branding
Proposed Architecture
• Small
26
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

27.
Branding
Proposed Architecture
• Small
27
Builded
by
Pharo
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

28.
Branding
Proposed Architecture
• Small
28
Generated
as usual
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

29.
Branding
Proposed Architecture
• Small
29
Customizable
Build
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

30.
How to Implement it…
• A Simple CMake Script and some simple
fi
les
30

31.
My Thin App
60 lines of code with comments
• Just a Main Function
31

32.
Some Resources
• In Windows:
• A Resource
fi
le with icon information &
Metadata of the application (Developer,
version, etc)
• In OSX:
• A PList with information about the icons,
fi
le
associations and metadata of the
application.
32

33.
What else…
33
• Downloads
Pharo VM
• Build Thin
Executable
• Integrate
Resources

34.
Verification
• Applications should be signed
• Signing should be done by the developer
• All executing code should be signed
34

35.
Verification
• Applications should be signed
• Signing should be done by the developer
• All executing code should be signed
35
We have to assure
that our applications
is not tainted

36.
Verification
• Applications should be signed
• Signing should be done by the developer
• All executing code should be signed
36
What we do with the
image?
The image is
executable code…
We have to assure
that our applications
is not tainted

37.
Alternative 1: Embedding as a Resource
• If the image not change we can embed it as a
resource.
My Main Pharo VM
Dynamic
Image
My Executable
37

38.
Alternative 1: Embedding as a Resource
My Main Pharo VM
Dynamic
Image
It can be signed and
validated as any other
Executable in the OS
• If the image not change we can embed it as a
resource.
My Executable
38

39.
My Main Pharo VM
Dynamic
Image
Updating the image requires
to update the executables
Alternative 1: Embedding as a Resource
• If the image not change we can embed it as a
resource.
39
My Executable

40.
My Main Pharo VM
Dynamic
Image
We need to change the
reading of the image to read
from the embedded resource
Alternative 1: Embedding as a Resource
• If the image not change we can embed it as a
resource.
40
My Executable

41.
Proposed Architecture
Alternative 2: We sign it outside the executable
We can update the Image
downloading a new one
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image
41

42.
We need to update the read
to check the image
signature…
Alternative 2: We sign it outside the executable
42
Proposed Architecture
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

43.
It is not validated by the
OS… we need to validate it
on loading
Alternative 2: We sign it outside the executable
43
Proposed Architecture
MyApp
Executable
Pharo VM
Dynamic
Lib
Image

44.
Implementing Alternative 1
Same Repository…
44

45.
Implementing Alternative 1
Same Repository…
45
We implement the veri
fi
cation
of the image in the same
fashion…

46.
Distribution / Installation
• Windows
• OSX
46
We have a normal
application, we can distribute
as usual

47.
Distribution / Installation
• Windows
• OSX
• Linux
47
We have a normal
application, we can distribute
as usual
OBS

48.
Open Build Service
https://openbuildservice.org/
• Attack Distributions Di
ff
erences
• Build for many architectures at the same time.
48
Our Package: devel:languages:pharo:latest/pharo9

49.
Open Build Service
https://openbuildservice.org/
• Attack Distributions Di
ff
erences
• Build for many architectures at the same time.
49
Our Package: devel:languages:pharo:latest/pharo9

50.
Open Build Service
https://openbuildservice.org/
• Attack Distributions Di
ff
erences
• Build for many architectures at the same time.
50
Our Package: devel:languages:pharo:latest/pharo9
We are using… great for
creating packages

51.
Open Build Service
https://openbuildservice.org/
• Attack Distributions Di
ff
erences
• Build for many architectures at the same time.
51
Our Package: devel:languages:pharo:latest/pharo9
Ideal for Open source
Packages… you can use
OpenSuse Infra
For Non-OpenSource easy to
run in-house
The packages can be
integrated in default
repositories
It provides a native repository
supporting updates

52.
Bonus: Remember FFI
52

53.
FFI: Opening the game to external libraries
Let’s not reinvent the wheel
53

54.
FFI: Opening the game to external libraries
Let’s not reinvent the wheel
54
Reusing Libraries
Interacting with
the OS

55.
FFI: Opening the game to external libraries
Let’s not reinvent the wheel
55
Integrated in
Pharo https://books.pharo.org/booklet-u
ffi
/

56.
56
Application Development
with Pharo
Pablo Tesone - Guille Polito
pablo.tesone@inria.fr
@tesonep
Making a Release Version Branding
Veri
fi
cation Distribution
Deployment Errors Handling