HN Explorer

Ask HN: What are the most useful Chrome extensions?

82 points by beforelight ↗ HN
In other words, what are your favorite Chrome extensions and why?

My top 3 most used Chrome extensions to help with productivity and stay focused while coding.

Tabs Outliner | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tabs-outliner/eggkanocgddhmamlbiijnphhppkpkmkl

Papaly - Bookmarker | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-bookmark-speed-di/pdcohkhhjbifkmpakaiopnllnddofbbn

Limitless - Productivity Manager | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/be-limitless/jdpnljppdhjpafeaokemhcggofohekbp

93 comments

[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 173 ms ] thread
joeyspn
1 - ABP

2 - Wappalyzer

3 - Awesome Screenshot

belowsanity
Definitely going to check out Limitless since I'm currently using StayFocused.

1. Adblocker | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock/gighmmpiob...

2. Stayfocused | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankej...

3. Papaly | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/new-tab-bookmark-s...

4. Codota | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/codota/cnpdaoipdfb...

5. ZenHub for GitHub | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/zenhub-for-github/...

minot
See also uBlock https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/µblock/cjpalhdlnbp... for ad blocking.
belowsanity
I actually have that running on Firefox. For some reason my Chrome had random memory leak spikes from uBlock.
steveridout
Apologies for the shameless plug, but I've made a Chrome extension which should be useful for anyone learning a foreign language:

Readlang | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readlang-web-reade...

It allows you to read web-pages in your target language, translate the words and phrases you don't know, and review them all later with flashcards which include some context from the original source.

lalwanivikas
Streamkeys[1]: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/streamkeys/ekpipjo...

AdBlock(not ABP): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock/gighmmpiob...

And Clearly: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/clearly/iooicodkii...

Because I just can't imagine my browser without them :)

[1]: http://streamkeys.com/

navbaker
Just curious, why specifically AdBlock and not ABP?
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
hardcandy
Adblock Plus has completely sold out due to their ''acceptable ads'' policy which whitelists 300+ ad feeds including most native ad networks (taboola, outbrain) and even some banner display ads now - basically, anybody who will pay them a little ransom. How can you claim to be an adblock client when you purposefully don't block the majority of ads?!

Adblock is a category of apps not a single company. There are plenty of alternatives to support. As mentioned, uBlock is excellent. I hope they don't pursue the same commercial path as they become more popular.

mapunk
Have you tried uBlock instead of AdBlock? I've like it much better since switching
hamhamed
My adblock is uBlock: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/%C2%B5block/cjpalh...

I also use Ghostery to block more scripts that slow sites down, and to block Google Analytics for my startup (so no faking stats): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ghostery/mlomiejdf...

I'm also a half marketer, so I use Alexa, Similar Web, Moz toolbar, and Open SEO https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/open-seo-statsform...

rejfyl
Ghostery does wonders and been using it for awhile now.
ende42
µBlock is great. I used Ghostery first and then Disconnect. But with µBlock in advanced mode I can block facebook.com on all sites but facebook, twitter.com on all site but twitter, and g+ on all sites but google.
mfkp
My essentials:

Disconnect: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disconnect/jeoacaf...

Edit this Cookie: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/editthiscookie/fng...

HN Collapse: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-news-collap...

HTTPS Everywhere: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/https-everywhere/g...

JSON Prettifier: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/json-prettifier/kc...

Postman: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/postman-rest-clien...

uBlock: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/%C2%B5block/cjpalh...

mcantelon
I've been using REST Console, which is useful, but sounds like Postman may have more features.
joshstrange
Postman is an awesome tool that I highly recommend! It's awesome to be able to export your work and share it with co-workers as well.
Zikes
+1 for Postman, I use it all the time. The history feature is especially great for me.
hga
I prefer the "hckr news" extension. In addition to collapse/expand, it has a "[collapse whole thread]' option so that you can do it in the middle of a thread, and most importantly, puts a vertical orange bar to the right of all new messages since I last refreshed or visited the page.
mfkp
Nice suggestion, I'll try that one out.
stcredzero
OneTab.

You can very quickly "bin" groups of tabs and save them in a format which I treat as a "stack." It would be even better if the OneTab page were searchable by content behind the links, but it's not a sorely felt need. Find in the page and Google are handy enough. It also saves a lot of resources that would otherwise be used by Chrome.

jdmoreira
xTab saved my life!

"Limit maximum number of open tabs."

pauloteixeira
Use Panda (https://usepanda.com/) Pocket (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/save-to-pocket/nil...)
kanzure
Is there anything like Tabs Outliner but attached to the same window? More like Tree Style Tabs. At this point I may even be willing to run mitmproxy to inject an iframe into every page or something :(
Gambit89
This is not quite what you asked for, but you can achieve a "managed dual/side pane" with a tiling window manager, letting the window manager keep the outline on the side rather than the browser, so that you don't have to juggle windows yourself. I do this with Tabs Outliner myself and it's quite flexible for me: when I want a full screen vs a side panel, I simply switch between the layouts.
steveridout
Momentum | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/momentum/laookkfkn...

This displays a beautiful photograph on your "New Tab" page instead of a list of your most visited sites, which if you're anything like me is procrastination central. It serves as a reminder for me to slow down, stay focussed, and not obsessively check news, Hacker News, etc... (yep, it's not exactly working at the moment ;-)

It also allows you to specify a main task for the day to keep you focussed but I only occasionally use that.

joshstrange
* Authy - Authy: Two-Factor Authentication from your PC (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gaedmjdfmmahhbjefc...)

* EditThisCookie - EditThisCookie is a cookie manager. You can add, delete, edit, search, protect and block cookies! (http://www.editthiscookie.com/)

* Faviconize Google - Adds favicons to each link offered by Google search results (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fijobgpmmkilncagcl...)

* Hackbook - Follow/unfollow, news feed and notifications for Hacker News (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/logdfcelflpgcbfebi...)

* HackerNew - The best Hacker News extension, making HN quicker and more useful since 2012. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lgoghlndihpmbbgmbp...) (IMHO HackBook > HackerNew)

* Hover Zoom - Enlarge thumbnails on mouse over. Works on many sites (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Reddit, Amazon, Tumblr, etc). (http://hoverzoom.net/)

* HTTPS Everywhere - Encrypt the Web! Automatically use HTTPS security on many sites. (https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere)

* JSONView - Validate and view JSON documents (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chklaanhfefbnpoihc...)

* Lazarus: Form Recovery - Autosaves everything you type so you can easily recover from form-killing timeouts, crashes and network errors. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/loljledaigphbcpfhf...)

* Mailto: for Gmail™ - Makes mailto: links open a Gmail™ compose window. Nothing more, nothing less. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dgkkmcknielgdhebim...)

* Media Keys by Sway.fm - Media keys support for online radio and streaming music apps. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/icckhjgjjompfgoiid...)

* Personal Blocklist (by Google) - Blocks domains/hosts from appearing in your Google search results. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nolijncfnkgaikbjbd...)

* Postman - REST Client (Packaged App) - (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fhbjgbiflinjbdggeh...)

* PrettyPrint - JavaScript and CSS formatter/syntax highlighter (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nipdlgebaanapcphbc...)

* Privacy Badger - Privacy Badger Beta release: Block Spying ads & invisible trackers (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pkehgijcmpdhfbdbbn...)

* Reddit Enhancement Suite - Reddit Enhancement Su...

silasb
Google Cast

LiveReload

Vimium

Pocket

Chrome UA Spoofer

OneTab (now trying after I heard about it from another HNer)

Momentum

Postman

React Developer Tools

Reddit Enhancement Suite

Authy

petekp
Google Dictionary is one I use frequently, every day. Just double-click a word to see its definition.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-dictionary-...

donut2d
On Mac you can use a 3-finger tap on a world or select "Look Up In Dictionary" from the context menu to look it up in the dictionary and Wikipedia.
Betelgeuse90
A bit off-topic but since I got a Mac and found out about this - Google Dictionary became obsolete. The Mac dictionary works offline as well so I'm able to look things up during commutes without WiFi.
snissn
Has anyone had any success launching products onto the google chrome store?