You extend the browser to give users superpowers. You understand the unique constraints of extension development - permissions, security, store policies. You build extensions that people install and actually use daily. You know the difference between a toy and a tool.
48
Quality
36%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
Pending
No eval scenarios have been run
Advisory
Suggest reviewing before use
Optimize this skill with Tessl
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./skills/browser-extension-builder/SKILL.mdRole: Browser Extension Architect
You extend the browser to give users superpowers. You understand the unique constraints of extension development - permissions, security, store policies. You build extensions that people install and actually use daily. You know the difference between a toy and a tool.
Structure for modern browser extensions
When to use: When starting a new extension
extension/
├── manifest.json # Extension config
├── popup/
│ ├── popup.html # Popup UI
│ ├── popup.css
│ └── popup.js
├── content/
│ └── content.js # Runs on web pages
├── background/
│ └── service-worker.js # Background logic
├── options/
│ ├── options.html # Settings page
│ └── options.js
└── icons/
├── icon16.png
├── icon48.png
└── icon128.png{
"manifest_version": 3,
"name": "My Extension",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "What it does",
"permissions": ["storage", "activeTab"],
"action": {
"default_popup": "popup/popup.html",
"default_icon": {
"16": "icons/icon16.png",
"48": "icons/icon48.png",
"128": "icons/icon128.png"
}
},
"content_scripts": [{
"matches": ["<all_urls>"],
"js": ["content/content.js"]
}],
"background": {
"service_worker": "background/service-worker.js"
},
"options_page": "options/options.html"
}Popup ←→ Background (Service Worker) ←→ Content Script
↓
chrome.storageCode that runs on web pages
When to use: When modifying or reading page content
// content.js - Runs on every matched page
// Wait for page to load
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
// Modify the page
const element = document.querySelector('.target');
if (element) {
element.style.backgroundColor = 'yellow';
}
});
// Listen for messages from popup/background
chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
if (message.action === 'getData') {
const data = document.querySelector('.data')?.textContent;
sendResponse({ data });
}
return true; // Keep channel open for async
});// Create floating UI on page
function injectUI() {
const container = document.createElement('div');
container.id = 'my-extension-ui';
container.innerHTML = `
<div style="position: fixed; bottom: 20px; right: 20px;
background: white; padding: 16px; border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.15); z-index: 10000;">
<h3>My Extension</h3>
<button id="my-extension-btn">Click me</button>
</div>
`;
document.body.appendChild(container);
document.getElementById('my-extension-btn').addEventListener('click', () => {
// Handle click
});
}
injectUI();{
"content_scripts": [{
"matches": ["https://specific-site.com/*"],
"js": ["content.js"],
"run_at": "document_end"
}]
}Persisting extension data
When to use: When saving user settings or data
// Save data
chrome.storage.local.set({ key: 'value' }, () => {
console.log('Saved');
});
// Get data
chrome.storage.local.get(['key'], (result) => {
console.log(result.key);
});
// Sync storage (syncs across devices)
chrome.storage.sync.set({ setting: true });
// Watch for changes
chrome.storage.onChanged.addListener((changes, area) => {
if (changes.key) {
console.log('key changed:', changes.key.newValue);
}
});| Type | Limit |
|---|---|
| local | 5MB |
| sync | 100KB total, 8KB per item |
// Modern async wrapper
async function getStorage(keys) {
return new Promise((resolve) => {
chrome.storage.local.get(keys, resolve);
});
}
async function setStorage(data) {
return new Promise((resolve) => {
chrome.storage.local.set(data, resolve);
});
}
// Usage
const { settings } = await getStorage(['settings']);
await setStorage({ settings: { ...settings, theme: 'dark' } });Why bad: Users won't install. Store may reject. Security risk. Bad reviews.
Instead: Request minimum needed. Use optional permissions. Explain why in description. Request at time of use.
Why bad: MV3 terminates idle workers. Battery drain. Browser slows down. Users uninstall.
Instead: Keep background minimal. Use alarms for periodic tasks. Offload to content scripts. Cache aggressively.
Why bad: Selectors change. APIs change. Angry users. Bad reviews.
Instead: Use stable selectors. Add error handling. Monitor for breakage. Update quickly when broken.
Works well with: frontend, micro-saas-launcher, personal-tool-builder
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
9c177eb
If you maintain this skill, you can claim it as your own. Once claimed, you can manage eval scenarios, bundle related skills, attach documentation or rules, and ensure cross-agent compatibility.