Chrome Extension Developer

Examples

Example 1: Basic Manifest V3 Structure

{
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "name": "My Agentic Extension",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "action": {
    "default_popup": "popup.html"
  },
  "background": {
    "service_worker": "background.js"
  },
  "content_scripts": [
    {
      "matches": ["https://*.example.com/*"],
      "js": ["content.js"]
    }
  ],
  "permissions": ["storage", "activeTab"]
}

Example 2: Message Passing Policy

// background.js (Service Worker)
chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
  if (message.type === "GREET_AGENT") {
    console.log("Received message from content script:", message.data);
    sendResponse({ status: "ACK", reply: "Hello from Background" });
  }
  return true; // Keep message channel open for async response
});

Best Practices

• ✅ Do: Use chrome.runtime.onInstalled for extension initialization.
• ✅ Do: Use modern ES modules in scripts if configured in manifest.
• ✅ Do: Validate external input in content scripts before acting on it.
• ❌ Don't: Use innerHTML or eval() - prefer textContent and safe DOM APIs.
• ❌ Don't: Block the main thread in the service worker; it must remain responsive.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Service worker becomes inactive. Solution: Background service workers are ephemeral. Use chrome.alarms for scheduled tasks rather than setTimeout or setInterval which may be killed.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.