• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

InRhythm

Your partners in accelerated digital transformation

  • Who We Are
  • Our Work
  • Practices & Products
  • Learning & Growth
  • Culture & Careers
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Browser extensions

May 01 2019

Browser Extensions and Bookmarklets: InRhythm’s Learning and Growth Newsletter


April 23rd: Do You Control Your Browser?


Stanley Kubrick predicted first contact in his film 2001: A Space Odyssey and introduced a now-iconic, silver-tongued psychopathic A.I. by the name of “HAL” (1 character below “IBM”—get it?), but all we got in our own 2001 was United States v. Microsoft Corp. Some liked it and some didn’t but what everyone agreed on was that our freedom to choose our own browser would be integral to the Web’s success. 

This week we’re focusing on how two technologies—browser extensions and bookmarklets—can expand our ability to make use of the web by customizing our browsers. Distinguished IR engineer Pat Needham documents his recent adventures in building a Chrome extension, warts and all. We’ve all been there, Pat (spoiler alert: it’s published!).

Are you an extension evangelist? How have extensions and bookmarklets changed the way you experience the web? Tell us what you think @GetInRhythm or on the InRhythmU blog. 

Thanks and Keep Growing,

Gunjan Doshi
CEO, InRhythm

Adventures in Chrome Extension Building

(4 min. read)

“Curious about the process behind developing your own Chrome extension? InRhythm breaks down the steps from ideation to publishing as an individual engineer.”

What We’re Reading Around the Web


Bookmarkhuh?
How-to Geek
“”Did you know that browsers have had superpowers since about 1996? They have! When he was developing JavaScript for Netscape, Brendan Eich ‘invented the javascript: URL along with JavaScript in 1995, and intended that javascript: URLs could be used as any other kind of URL, including being bookmark-able.’ That means you could write a script into a link (e.g. Bookmark Me!), bookmark that script (put a little button on the browser’s bookmark bar, for instance), and run that code on any page you’re browsing. Check out this subreddit for some fun examples.”

Mobile AR Experiences in Unity
(7 min. read)
Thoughtbot
“Browser extensions are like apps for your browser. Unlike bookmarklets, these are vendor-specific toolkits for extending browser functionality. Those ad blockers you keep hearing about are typically browser extensions; LastPass, a popular (and recommended) password manager is another. For-profit companies like ActiveInbox depend on browser extensions. At InRhythm we’re thinking hard about how to help our clients using these powerful tools. Thoughtbot offers a great write-up on how to dive in and start creating—Chrome and Mozilla offer detailed guidance as well.”

R.I.P Bookmarklets
(9 min. read)
Medium
“Brian Donohue, former CEO of Instapaper (a company that bookmarklets essentially made possible) laments that ‘Bookmarklets are Dead (we just don’t know it yet)‘. Written in 2014, this important article was mainly reacting to security-focused technical changes that would cripple the power of bookmarklets in certain scenarios. While the reports of this demise were somewhat exaggerated, it’s true that these powerful customizations remain beholden to the goodwill of browser vendors, and there’s a risk in that. Run out and make some bookmarklets while you still can!”

Are Extensions Safe?
(5 min. read)
Brian Madden
“Browser extensions are deeply integrated into the browser experience, which means they can ‘see’ pretty much anything you do on the Web, and have access to a lot of your data. This is their power, and when used well they function as useful apps. Extensions, just like apps, must ask for certain permissions prior to installation, and that’s good. But the vetting process for extensions is not as robust as it is for, say, Apple’s App Store. Bad actors are always searching for weaknesses, and browser extensions are not immune. But let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater—you can be a good actor, and build powerful tools for your customers and friends that only bring value.””

Written by Gunjan Doshi · Categorized: Browser extensions, InRhythm News, Newsletters · Tagged: bookmark, browser extension, chrome extension, learning and growth, newsletter

Footer

Interested in learning more?
Connect with Us
InRhythm

110 William St
Suite 2601
New York, NY 10038

1 800 683 7813
get@inrhythm.com

Copyright © 2023 · InRhythm on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT