Architectures to access Smart Card from a generic browser? Or: How to bridge the gap from browser to PC/SC stack?

Question

What are the possible client-side architectures to access a local Smart Card from a generic browser (connected to a server through http(s)), preferably from Javascript, with

Answer 1

Update (8/2016): A new API for the Web called WebUSB API is being discussed. You can already use it with Chrome v54+.

This standard will be implemented in all major browsers and will replace the need for third-party applications or extensions for Smard Cards :-)

So the new answer is YES!

And the OSI-like architecture stack is:

• PC/SC
• CCID v1.1
• WebUSB API
• USB driver, i.e. libusb.

2019 Update: As @vlp commented, it seems that it doesn't work any in Chrome because they decided to block WebUSB for smartcards for some specious reasons :-(

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Note: Google annonced that they will abandon Chrome Apps in 2017.

Previous anwser:

Now (2015) you can create a Google Chrome App, using the chrome.usb API.

Then you access the smartcard reader via its CCID-compliant interface.

It's not cross-browser but JavaScript programmable & cross-platform.

Anyway Netscape Plugin API (NPAPI) is not supported any more by modern browsers. And Java applets are being dismissed by browser vendors.