Dev Journal: Jot (Chrome Extension)

#google-chrome-extension #dev #weekend-projects

Motivation

I am working on a 14" personal laptop and I needed a fast, minimal notepad directly in the browser because because context switching is a pain. Existing options required accounts or had unnecessary features that I do not want.

P.S. This is practically a side quest. I was working on a different project when I got bothered switching tabs and desktop spaces.

Goal/s

  • Learn how to build a simple Chrome Extension
  • Build a Chrome extension popup notepad

Dev Log

  • Browsed https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/get-started/tutorial/hello-world as a primer.
  • Created a Chrome extension with manifest.json, popup.html, popup.css, and popup.js
  • Implemented a textarea in popup.html and wired it to localStorage in popup.js
  • Added a clear button and hooked it to reset both UI state and stored data
  • Added a character counter (just for the heck of it)
  • Structured the UI into header, body, and footer sections in popup.css
  • Added a light/dark mode toggle and persisted the selected theme in localStorage
  • Implemented a "Copy all" button using the Clipboard API
  • Wrote the Chrome Web Store listing fields:
    • manifest.json description (105 chars)
    • single-purpose statement
    • privacy policy page (ikr?)
  • Packaged the extension into a zip
  • Submitted the extension through the Chrome Web Store Developer Dashboard

This blog is harder than popup.js itself because it simply does the following:

  1. Load = restore note and theme from localStorage on popup open
  2. Auto-save = persist note on every keystroke
  3. Count = update character count
  4. Copy = copy content to clipboard with feedback
  5. Clear = reset note and storage

Result

Currently, the extension has been packaged and submitted to the Chrome Web Store. Internet says it usually takes 2-5 days.

I am already able to use it via Developer Tools. I just had to put it on Chrome Web Store and see what the process is like in case I want to build other extensions in the future.

Lessons

  • Chrome Web Store requires a privacy policy URL even if no data leaves the browser
  • localStorage in extensions is scoped to the extension origin, not the regular webpage context. So, inspecting extension storage requires opening DevTools on the popup, not the main page

Github Repo: https://github.com/katpadi/jot/