Why do we need WeChat JS SDK?
Well, maybe you don’t need to use it. Here is the list of benefits that WeChat JS SDK provides.
What is WeChat JSSDK?
WeChat JSSDK is a bridge between a website and WeChat native app. It allows a website to do more in WeChat.
Why do we need WeChat JS SDK?
As you might have already known, WeChat has its own special environment for development. Not only it's within the Chinese internet, but it’s also tightly controlled by its company, Tencent. This means we will have to play by its rule when doing development in WeChat.
Reason #1: Sharing customization
While there are some hacks to use meta tags to share from another browser to WeChat to get the customized sharing card. Its limitation is when sharing is happening within WeChat. WeChat JS SDK will let you define how your sharing card would look.
Here is the list of share related JS API:
onMenuShareTimeline — When a user shares to “moment” in their WeChat
onMenuShareAppMessage — When a user shares to a friend or a chat group
onMenuShareQQ — When a user shares to QQ
onMenuShareWeibo — When a user shares to Weibo
onMenuShareQZone — When the user shares to QZone.
As you might notice, all of the share destinations are Tencent companies.
Reason #2 Native WeChat App Access
Because WeChat is a native app, so it has access to the user’s hardware. Microphone, camera, and GPS.
You could ask the user to record a message, or scan a QR code, or using GPS to find the nearest store, etc.
What I think it’s cool is that it provides you a voice translation API, so it’s really helpful for the foreign user, and it can potentially be used to do something cool.
Here is the list:
startRecord
stopRecord
onVoiceRecordEnd
playVoice
pauseVoice
stopVoice
onVoicePlayEnd
uploadVoice
downloadVoice
chooseImage
previewImage
uploadImage
downloadImage
translateVoice
getNetworkType
openLocation
getLocation
scanQRCode
Reason #3: Manage how the menu looks
Here is a list of menu options:
Expose: “menuItem:exposeArticle”
Set font: “menuItem:setFont”
Day Mode: “menuItem:dayMode”
Night Mode: “menuItem:nightMode”
Refresh: “menuItem:refresh”
View Official account (added): “menuItem: profile”
View Official account (not added): “menuItem:addContact”
Send to friends: “menuItem:share:app message”
Share to moments: “menuItem:share: timeline”
Share to QQ “menuItem:share:qq”
Share to Weibo: “menuItem:share:weiboApp”
Favorite: “menuItem:favorite”
Share to FB: “menuItem:share:facebook”
Share to QZone/menuItem:share:QZone
Edit tags: “menuItem:editTag”
Delete: “menuItem:delete”
Copy URL: “menuItem:copyUrl”
Original Page “menuItem:originPage”
Reading Mode: “menuItem:readMode”
Open with QQ Browser: “menuItem:openWithQQBrowser”
Open with Safari: “menuItem:openWithSafari”
Email: “menuItem:share:email”
Some special official account: “menuItem:share: brand”
Reason #4:Access to WeChat Pay and Cards
Although you would have to apply for it. WeChat pay and cards would be really useful for e-commerce. As mobile payment is already ingrained in the user habit in China, WeChat also lets you manage discount cards or loyalty cards. If you want users to sign up for membership and drive more sales online, this will be helpful to look into.
Here is the list:
chooseWXPay
openProductSpecificView
addCard
chooseCard
openCard
If you don’t need any of these functions, you probably don’t need to spend time implementing Wechat JSSDK into your website.
Thanks for reading. Let me know what else you would like to know in the comment below.
WeChat official account platform:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/?lang=en_US
WeChat JSSDK Document:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/wiki?t=resource/res_main&id=mp1421141115
For more information, please visit shanghaicoders.com
