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# Storage Panel Architecture
## Actor structure
This is the new architecture that is being implemented to support Fission. It's currently used when inspecting tabs.
- We no longer have a global `Storage` actor.
- The specific actors for each storage type are spawned by watchers instead.
- The reference to a global `Storage` actor that each actor has now points to a mock instead.
- Some watchers require to be run in the parent process, while others can be run in the content process.
- Parent process: Cookies, IndexedDB, Web Extension.
- Content process: LocalStorage, SessionStorage, Cache.
## Flow
Some considerations to keep in mind:
- In the Storage Panel, **resources are fronts**.
- These fronts contain a `hosts` object, which is populated with the host name, and the actual storage data it contains.
- In the client, we get as part of the `onAvailable` callback of `ResourceCommand.watchResources`:
- Content process storage types: multiple resources, one per target
- Parent process storage types: a single resource
### Initial load
Web page loaded, open toolbox. Later on, we see what happens if a new remote target is added (for instance, an iframe is created that points to a different host).
#### Fission OFF
- We get all the storage fronts as new resources sent in the `onAvailable` callback for `watchResources`.
- After a remote target has been added, we get new additions as `"single-store-update"` events.
#### Fission ON
Similar to the previous scenario (fission off), but now when a new remote target is added:
- We get content process storage resources in a new `onAvailable` callback, instead of `"single-store-update"`.
- Parent process storage resources keep using the `"single-store-update"` method. This is possible due to their `StorageMock` actors emitting a fake `"window-ready"` event after a `"window-global-created"`.
### Navigation
#### Fission ON, target switching OFF
- Deletion of content process storage hosts is handled within the `onTargetDestroyed` callback.
- Deletion of parent process storage hosts is handled with `"single-store-update"` events, fired when the `StorageMock` detects a `"window-global-destroyed"` event.
- When the new target is available, new storage actors are spawned from their watchers' `watch` method and are sent as resources in the `onAvailable` callback.
#### Fission ON, target switching ON
Similar to the previous scenario (fission on, target switching off), but parent process storage resources are handled differently, since their watchers remain instantiated.
- New actors for parent process resources are not spawned by their watchers `watch`, but as a callback of `"window-global-created"`.
- Some times there's a race condition between a target being available and firing `"window-global-created"`. There is a delay to send the resource to the client, to ensure that any `onTargetAvailable` callback is processed first.
- The new actor/resource is sent after a `"target-available-form"` event.
### CRUD operations
#### Add a new cookie
Other CRUD operations work very similar to this one.
- We call `StorageMock.getWindowFromHost` so we can get the storage principal. Since this is a parent process resource, it doesn't have access to an actual window, so it returns a mock instead (but with a real principal).
- To detect changes in storage, we subscribe to different events that platform provides via `Services.obs.addObserver`.
- To manipulate storage data, we use different methods depending on the storage type. For cookies, we use the API provided by `Services.cookies`.