Pick of the Bunch: 9 Chrome Extensions I Use Every Day by Jamal Maynard
A browser extension is a small software module for customizing a web browser. Browsers – such as Google Chrome – typically allow a variety of extensions, including user interface modifications, cookie management, ad blocking, and the custom scripting and styling of web pages.
Google Chrome extensions are programs that can be installed into Chrome so that the browser’s functionality can be updated and changed. Extensions even allow for new features to be added to Chrome, as well as giving users the opportunity to modify the existing behaviour of the program itself to make it more convenient for the user.
Examples of the type of functionality that a Google Chrome extension can add to the Chrome browser include:
As you can see, extensions offer a wide range of extra functionality so that you can perform tasks easier or get more out of the websites you visit.
What Are Some of the Best Google Chrome Extensions?
There are so many good Chrome extensions that it would be impossible to list all of them. With that being said, there are some extensions that I feel are a must-have, and I find myself using them daily in my role as a Web Project Manager, as these particular extensions offer much-needed functionality, better security, and optimize the performance of Chrome as a whole.
Below is a list of 9 extensions that I recommend be installed in Chrome.
1. GoFullPage
Run by an independent developer and described as “The simplest way to take a full page screenshot of your current browser window”, what sets the GoFullPage extension from the rest of the screenshot extensions (more to come later on) is how its screen capture technology handles complex pages – including inner scrollable elements as well as embedded iframes. If a website needs to be used as a reference point for any wireframes, etc. this is the extension I go to in order to capture the entire page and its added functionalities.
‘But Jamal, what if the page is extremely long?’, I hear you ask. Well, again, another reason I find myself using this extension as much as I do is the fact that in the scenario where a page is too large for Chrome to store in one image, the extension actually informs you of this, and then will let you split it up into images in separate tabs.
2.?HTTPS Everywhere
HTTPS Everywhere is an extension created by EFF and the Tor Project. The extension is helpful as it automatically switches thousands of sites from insecure “http” to secure “https”. It will protect its users against many forms of surveillance and account hijacking, and some forms of censorship.
?3. ColorZilla
Whilst I do use this quite frequently within my role at Embryo, I often find myself using this extension out of sheer inquisitiveness. To me, branding is an important part of web design, and to say design and branding go hand-in-hand is an understatement.
I use ColorZilla to get a colour reading from any point in my web browser. The extension allows me to quickly adjust this colour and paste it into another program. For example, I may need to capture a colour used on a site for a wireframe or for document branding purposes, and instead of having to guess, I’m presented with the option to pick a specific colour from the page.
4. Awesome Screenshot and Screen Recording
This tool is an underrated gem, and I find myself using it more frequently than the “GoFullPage” extension due to the additional functionalities it includes. I use this extension daily due to its ease of access and use, as well as the extension having a really smooth “Select and Capture” feature that allows you to quickly zoom in and out, capture, mark up and save selected areas and save your image in a matter of seconds.
Not only does this extension’s vast amount of functionalities set it apart from its competition, but the extension is fast enough to allow me to share and annotate anything I’ve captured. I find myself using this extension to create screen recordings to show my clients certain aspects of their new CMS once a website has been built. Day-to-day, I also use the Awesome Screenshot extension to take snapshots of any snags found during the testing phase, for reference for our web developers to fix.
The ability to include annotations on my screenshots is also a handy ability and one that I know our web developers appreciate. By using this extension, I have a permanent record of final change requests before project sign-off.
5. Window Resizer
Yet another great extension that does exactly what it says on the tin! This one is an invaluable tool when it has come to getting to know HTML element positioning across screen sizes.
A Flexible and efficient extension for resizing my windows, I’ve been using this since I started my role at Embryo and I find it works well when I’m working alongside our web developers and looking into WordPress theme development.?
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This extension re-sizes the browser’s window in order to emulate various resolutions. It is particularly useful for web designers and developers by helping them test their layouts on different browser resolutions.
The resolutions list is entirely customizable, with the ability to set the chosen window’s width/height, window’s position, preset icon (phone, tablet, laptop, desktop) and even the option to apply the new dimensions to the entire window or just to the viewport.
The extension also features customizable global key shortcuts, an option to export your settings and import them to another computer and more!
6. WhatFont
By far the easiest way to identify fonts on websites, and has been unbelievably helpful.
With this extension, I’m able to inspect web fonts by just hovering on them. It is easy to use and well-thought-out.
7. Wappalyzer
I’m quite a nosy and inquisitive individual, and more often than not, when I enter a website, I’m always curious to see how the said website has been built. Wappalyzer seems to be the answer to?some?of my Project Management prayers.?
To have the ability to instantly reveal the technology stack of any website, including the site’s CMS, eCommerce platform or a payment processor, as well as company and contact details is literally a godsend!
That being said, despite tending to my curiosity, this extension is helpful as it allows me to keep tabs on my client’s competitors and their websites.
8. Grammarly
Billed as an extension that improves grammar, clarity, and more as you write on your favourite sites, Grammarly definitely keeps its promise. This extension I definitely use every day, as it provides real-time writing suggestions on Gmail, Google Docs, Twitter, LinkedIn, and everywhere else I write online.
Despite it being able to eliminate errors and find the perfect words to express myself within my writing, from grammar and spelling, I find its most helpful functionality is the guide it provides in regards to my writing style and tone of voice, allowing me to convey my thoughts and points in emails accurately. Prior to using this tool, I often found my emails to be either neutral, overly formal, or unfriendly, but Grammarly has definitely changed that since I started to use it.?Tone is tricky to convey in writing, but Grammarly’s tone detector helps me to understand how my message will sound to a reader—before I hit send.
9. Colour Contrast Checker
Another useful Chrome extension, except this one, speaks to my inner-designer, as it allows me to check the contrast between different colour combinations against level 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.
The ability to use the colour picker tool to compare colours on a webpage and reverse background and foreground colours is a useful functionality that I find myself using quite often during the design phase of my projects, as I work alongside our design team.
Chrome Extensions – Convinced yet?
As you can see, there are plenty of great Chrome extensions out there. Many of the extensions and apps discussed above are related to productivity, both on a personal and business level, and ones I find I use daily as part of my role as a Web Project Manager at Embryo.
If you’d like to learn more about our project process, as well as how the extensions listed above come into play during a project at Embryo and want to create a website that delights customers with a user interface so great, they continue to come back for more, by all means, get in touch with us.
About the Author
Jamal Maynard assists Grace with the delivery of multiple website projects and allows the designers and developers to concentrate on creating excellent work.
He communicates effectively and meaningfully with all relevant parties to ensure a smooth timeline.
Drawing on his data-driven approach, and background with both front and back-end aspects of websites and CMSs, there are few better people to handle a project.
Data Analyst || API King || Machine Learning || BigQuery|| Data Engineering
2 年I like it when people leave their computers unlocked. Straight to the chrome extensions store and add custom cursors then change the mouse to a cute little triceratops ??