Connect Discourse to WeChat Mini Program

Development
1

There is an instant messaging tool in China called WeChat. It has a function called (Mini Program), which is actually a built-in browser. If Discourse can be added to the Mini Program, it will be a great opportunity for Discourse to expand in China. I am trying to do this, but due to China’s content review, WeChat officials require me to access their content review, which is beyond my ability. I hope you can help me. Here are some relevant screenshots and requirements given by the official customer service of WeChat Mini Program:

Hello, your Mini Program involves providing UGC customized content publishing functions, but the service experience process has specific restrictions. The link is currently unable to experience the Mini Program functions normally and confirm that the Mini Program has content security identification capabilities. To prevent your Mini Program from being abused, we recommend that you access the WeChat public platform content security API (imgSecCheck, msgSecCheck, mediaCheckAsync) capabilities reference document. After access, please follow the instructions in the document [Use Case] ​​and save the screen recording of the interface return value. After uploading the successful screen recording of the interface call and the screenshot of the Mini Program service, submit the code.

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2

I really hope someone with the ability can help me. This market is very broad in China. There are about 1400,000,000 people using WeChat in China. If Discourse can be compatible with WeChat Mini Programs, it will be great.

3

Do you mean that you need somebody in China to help you submit details to this program?

4

It would be even better if we could get your help, Teacher. The WeChat Mini Program has a massive user base in China.

5

I am happy to help, but I need a more accurate description of what the problem is. I see a JS error in the original post from 2024, is that still the issue for you?

7

Embedding within a mini-program won’t provide a good experience, so it’s best to give up on that idea.

9

What help exactly do you need?

If “the document [Use Case]” is a document, I need a specific link or PDF file etc

10

Took another look at your question:

Your exact needs aren’t clear and I don’t understand Discourse that well, but from what it seems, you need to remix Discourse logic to censor posts based on WeChat’s API. A plugin should be able to do that, if you’re able to get the required WeChat openid, token etc to make the API call (as shown in the docs, API is possible with plain HTTP).

There is discussion here: Do you have any plan developing a plugin of "Sign in with WeChat"? which notes caveats like WeChat not exposing email.

If you want to write a Discourse plugin, tutorials are available on this site.

PS. If you’re having trouble understanding what help you need, I suggest you post on a WeChat developer forum.

11

What is the benefit of embedding Discourse in a browser within another application. Why don’t you just share a link and open it in your default browser?

12

I’m not OP, but I think that immediately suggests a benefit? Like if your Mini Program has 10 features, one of them uses Discourse, and going to a browser for just that is distracting for a user (especially if they’ll need to go back to Mini Program later).

However if I were OP I would think consider it not worth the effort, especially since in addition to login with WeChat (I’d wager a guess that’s the only way to obtain user openid), the user also has to provide an email, which may look suspicious and therefore reduce its audience.

(Along with other complications, like if user decides not to use the WeChat login, should they bypass WeChat audit, and if not, how to get an openid from them. The fundemental solution seems to be to lock your forum to WeChat login only and let non-WeChat users have fun figuring out how to get a WeChat account :collision:)

13

As a Chinese, here’s the background imo: Unfortunately, many people in China just forget what browsers and websites are. We use WeChat mini programs (and Electron apps) everywhere. Even if we’re asked to open the browser, almost everyone only have browsers like Huaiwei Browsers, Xiaomi Browser, 360 Browser etc., which have old Chromium/WebKit inside. People don’t recognise Chrome, Edge or Firefox :cry: This is also one of the disasters that multinational apps (that have some Chinese customers) often overlook.

I believe this is one of the reasons why Discourse is not known in China.

14

Discourse is just a website. Why does WeChat need a special app to open an http link?

(Notwithstanding potential white and blacklisting)

16

I think OP’s question suggests OP just can’t do that, though it’s unclear to me exactly why, but I percieve it as content review requirements?

(Edit: if you’re asking about “need a special app to open a link” I don’t recall it appearing earlier in this discussion, and I’m not familiar with WeChat Mini Programs, only learned from link in first post, sorry)