FAQ

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Applies to: Skype for Business 2015

Skype Web SDK – Frequently Asked Questions (April 2015)

FAQ

  1. What is the Skype Web SDK?

    The Skype Developer Platform for Web ("Skype Web SDK") is a new set of JavaScript components and HTML controls that enable developers to build new web experiences that seamlessly integrate a wide variety of real-time collaboration models leveraging Skype for Business services and the larger Skype network. In addition to support for multiple core collaboration services like presence, chat, audio, and video, this enables web experiences that can connect to a broad spectrum of users, browsing platforms, and device endpoints.

  2. What benefits does the Skype Web SDK provide for the Web Developer today?

    The Skype Web SDK allows developers to easily create a stand-alone web client with a user endpoint that can register with Lync 2013 or Skype for Business Server. These UCWA endpoints provide presence, contacts, groups, chat capabilities and with the addition of a browser plugin they also provide browser-based apps with peer to peer and multiparty Audio/Video capabilities.

  3. How is the Skype Web SDK different from Unified Communications Web API (UCWA)?

    The Skype Web SDK is a JavaScript library modeled on a common Skype object oriented framework and built on top of the multi-platform device independent UCWA REST API. The Web SDK abstracts away the complexity of the underlying UCWA API and provides an elegant and powerful framework to easily build and maintain web-enabled Skype apps.

  4. We have built a solution based on UCWA. What should we do now that Skype Web API is here?

    UCWA itself and its documentation will continue to be enhanced. The older UCWA JavaScript samples that were provided with the UCWA documentation will no longer be maintained. If you have built a solution on these sample libraries, consider refactoring/re-writing the existing solution to use the new Skype Web API. All new browser applications should use the Skype Web API going forward.

  5. My customers are asking for Mobile Lync-enabled apps. Is it possible to use Skype Web API to build mobile applications for IOS/Android/Windows Phone?

    The core framework enables presence, contacts, note and chat services that can be utilized by a mobile app via JavaScript. Media capability such as audio, video and desktop sharing however, is currently enabled via the Skype for Business Web App plugin available for browsers such IE and Firefox. This restricts all media modalities to desktops browsers only, as mobile browsers such as mobile Safari and the Windows Store browser do not allow 3rd party plugins.

  6. What platforms and browsers are supported for the Skype for Business Web App plugin?

    Please see this link.

  7. Is there a way to enable the plugin for all users on a machine?

    The Skype for Business Web App plugin is installed per user and not per machine. On any regular Windows PC or MacOS Machine, each user on that machine needs to install the plugin separately or get it installed on first run via group policy.

  8. I have installed the plugin but still have an issue accessing the plugin from my Skype Web SDK app.

    Installing the plugin msi causes it to be listed in the Add/Remove programs but the plugin will not immediately appear in the IE list of add-ons (Tools -> Manage add-ons). Trying to start an AV enabled app will cause a popup to appear with the following text "The domain <domain> wants to load the plugin that will let you participate in audio and video conferencing..". Select the checkbox to allow the plug-in for this domain. A follow-up popup from Windows firewall may also appear to allow you to select the networks that you want to allow the plugin to communicate with. After the user has allowed the domain to load the plugin, the plugin will show up under IE add-ons.

  9. Are applications created with Skype Web API able to communicate with Skype for Business Online (O365) users?

    Currently Skype Web API apps require a local on-premises Lync 2013 or Skype for Business server. Online capability is in the roadmap but we do not currently have a release date.

  10. I am getting the error "Service does not allow a cross domain request from this origin."

    Setup a whitelist on the Lync/SfB front-end server to allow incoming requests originating from the hosting web server. See https://ucwa.lync.com/documentation/ITAdmin-Configuration.

  11. The Lync Web App (Skype for Business Web App) plugin is not working with my 32-bit Chrome browser.

    Enable the plugin by setting the NPAPI flag at chrome://flags/#enable-npapi and checking the "Always allowed to run" checkbox for the plugin at chrome://plugins.