Chrome Extension

What is a Chrome Extension?

A Chrome extension is a small piece of software that customizes and extends what Google Chrome can do. These extensions are built with the same web technologies you might already know: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They can change how the browser behaves, add entirely new features, or tweak how websites appear and function. Google hosts more than 200,000 of these extensions in the Chrome Web Store, which serves as the official marketplace.

Under the hood, Chrome extensions run within the browser's environment and tap into Chrome's Extensions API to access various browser capabilities. They handle everything from ad blocking and password management to screen recording and task automation. Given that Chrome holds around 65% of the global browser market, it makes sense that Chrome extensions have become the go-to format for browser-based productivity tools.

Here's something worth noting: Chrome extensions work in other Chromium-based browsers too, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, and Opera. This cross-compatibility lets developers build one extension and reach users across multiple browsers. It also explains why the Chrome extension ecosystem dwarfs alternatives like Firefox Add-ons. In fact, Chrome extensions are a specific type of browser extension that has become the dominant standard.

Key Characteristics of Chrome Extensions

• Manifest-Based Architecture: Every Chrome extension ships with a manifest.json file that spells out its permissions, capabilities, and structure. Think of it as a declaration of what the extension needs and can do
• Permission Model: When you install an extension, Chrome shows you exactly what data and features it wants to access. You get to decide whether that seems reasonable before clicking install
• Background Processing: Extensions can run service workers behind the scenes, handling things like browser startup events, tab switches, or network requests without ever showing a visible interface
• Content Script Injection: An extension can inject JavaScript and CSS straight into web pages, modifying their look or behavior on the fly
• Cross-Browser Compatibility: Most Chrome extensions run just fine in any Chromium-based browser, which these days includes Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi

Chrome Extension Examples

Example 1: Documentation and Process Capture

Picture a training manager who needs to build onboarding materials for new hires learning the company's CRM. She walks through common workflows like updating contacts, logging calls, and creating deals while a Chrome extension captures each step. Within minutes, she has a complete visual work instruction with screenshots and annotations. No sitting down to write it all out afterward.

Example 2: Password Management

An IT team rolls out a password manager Chrome extension across the company. Employees stop juggling dozens of passwords or, more realistically, reusing the same weak ones everywhere. The extension generates strong passwords, stores them securely, and fills in login forms automatically. Password reset tickets drop noticeably, and security audits become far less painful.

Example 3: Ad Blocking and Privacy

Someone installs an ad-blocking Chrome extension to strip out obnoxious ads and tracking scripts. Pages load quicker, distractions vanish, and third-party trackers lose the ability to follow their browsing habits across sites. The extension just works quietly in the background.

Chrome Extension vs Browser Plugin

These terms get thrown around interchangeably, but they actually refer to different technologies with very different security implications.

Chrome dropped support for traditional plugins like Flash back in 2015 because of security holes. Nowadays, when someone mentions a "Chrome plugin," they almost certainly mean a Chrome extension.

How to Install a Chrome Extension

Installing a Chrome extension takes maybe 30 seconds:

1. Head to the Chrome Web Store at chrome.google.com/webstore
2. Search for what you need or browse through categories
3. Click an extension to check out its details, reviews, and requested permissions
4. Hit "Add to Chrome"
5. Look over the permissions and click "Add extension" to confirm

The extension shows up in your toolbar, though you might need to click the puzzle piece icon to find it. Most extensions start working right away without any setup.

Chrome Extension Security Considerations

Chrome extensions are generally safe if you stick to a few sensible habits. Install from the official Chrome Web Store, where Google does at least some vetting. Before installing anything, check how many users it has and skim the recent reviews. Pay attention to what permissions the extension asks for. A simple calculator app probably should not be requesting access to your entire browsing history.

It's also worth reviewing your installed extensions every so often. Extensions sometimes get sold to new owners who might change what they do. If an extension you've had for ages suddenly wants new permissions, that warrants a closer look.

How Glitter AI Uses Chrome Extensions

Glitter AI provides a Chrome extension that captures your workflow while you're using web-based tools. Rather than pausing to document what you're doing, you just keep working while the extension records your actions. It then turns those recordings into structured SOPs, step-by-step guides, and training materials.

This tackles a familiar problem: documentation that never gets created because no one has the time. With the Chrome extension running quietly in the background, teams end up with a living knowledge base built from actual work. New team members can watch exactly how experienced colleagues handle tasks, and processes stay documented even as they change.