Chrome extensions I use as a developer

In the fast-paced world of development, every tool that can save time or improve efficiency is invaluable. Chrome extensions offer incredible support right from your browser, making it easier to debug, analyze, and perfect your projects. Here are some must-have Chrome extensions that every developer should consider, complete with tips and real-life examples.

1.React Developer tools
2.Postman Interceptor
3.WhatFont
4.JSON Viewer
5.Web Developer
6.Lighthouse
7.EditThisCookie

React developer tools

React has become one of the most popular libraries for building dynamic, interactive web applications. But with its component-based architecture and complex state management, debugging React applications can sometimes be challenging. This is where React Developer Tools comes into play—a powerful Chrome extension that simplifies inspecting and debugging React applications.

REACT DEVELOPER TOOLS is a Chrome extension that allows you to inspect the React component hierarchy in your app. It provides insights into the structure of your components, their props, state, and hooks, making it easier to understand how your application behaves.

Why every react developer should use react developer tools

React developer tools are incredibly helpful for developers as they:

• Allow you to visualize and interact with the entire component structure.

• Show how components pass data and state down the tree.

• Enable debugging without console logging every step, saving time and reducing errors.

• Provide a detailed view of how components are rendered and interact with each other, making it easier to optimize performance.

Click on the ADD TO CHROME and the extension shall be added to your chrome browser.

Postman Interceptor

Postman is widely recognized as a powerful tool for API testing and development, allowing developers to test HTTP requests and debug responses without requiring a full-fledged front-end or backend setup. For Postman to access APIs that require authentication or reside within restricted environments, the Postman Interceptor Chrome extension is an invaluable addition. This extension bridges the gap between your browser and Postman, enabling Postman to leverage cookies and session data directly from your web browser.

Postman Interceptor is a Chrome extension that allows Postman to capture browser traffic and inherit the cookies and headers used in authenticated web sessions. This is particularly useful for testing APIs that require authentication, as it saves time and simplifies the process of obtaining session data. Once installed, Postman Interceptor can act as a “middleman,” allowing you to send API requests in Postman with the same credentials and authentication information from your browser.

Why every developer should use postman interceptor

• Cookie Syncing: Postman Interceptor syncs cookies from your browser to Postman. This is especially helpful when working with APIs that require authentication, as it enables Postman to utilize your active sessions for authenticated requests.

• HTTP Request Capture: Interceptor can capture HTTP requests from your browser and redirect them to Postman. This allows you to inspect and test browser-originated requests directly in the Postman interface.

• Enhanced Security: By capturing cookies directly from your browser, Postman Interceptor ensures that sensitive authentication tokens don’t need to be manually transferred, reducing the risk of accidental exposure.

• Simplified Authentication for APIs: Many web applications require session-based or token-based authentication. With Interceptor, you can log in to the web application in your browser, and Postman can directly access your session cookies, making API testing faster and more secure.

Click on the ADD TO CHROME button and the extension shall be added to your chrome browser.Its free

Whatfont

In the world of design, choosing the right font can make all the difference. Whether you’re creating a website, designing graphics, or simply drawing inspiration from other sites, knowing the exact fonts used can be incredibly helpful. The WhatFont Chrome Extension is an essential tool for designers, developers, and enthusiasts who want to quickly identify the fonts used on any webpage.

WhatFont is a lightweight and intuitive Chrome extension that lets you identify fonts used on any website by simply hovering over the text. It provides quick details on the font family, size, weight, and color, making it easier to understand and replicate the typography choices seen on other sites. With just a click, you can gather all necessary font information, eliminating the need to dig through CSS code or guess the font.

Why every developer needs whatfont as a chrome extension

• Quick Font Identification: WhatFont provides a straightforward way to find font information. Once activated, you can hover over any text on a webpage to instantly see the font name and style.

• Detailed Font Attributes: Beyond just the font name, WhatFont also displays font size, weight, line height, color, and even the font provider (such as Google Fonts or Typekit). This comprehensive insight allows designers to get a complete picture of the font styling.

• Font Preview and Color Information: When clicked, WhatFont provides a small preview box with color and styling information, making it easy to visualize and understand each typographic detail.

• Font Provider Detection: If a font is hosted on popular libraries like Google Fonts or Typekit, WhatFont will display the source. This feature makes it simpler to locate and use the same font in your own projects if it's freely available.

• Clean and User-Friendly Interface: The WhatFont extension is designed to be intuitive and non-intrusive. It only activates when you need it, keeping your browsing experience clutter-free.

Click on the *ADD TO CHROME * button to add the extension to your chrome browser.Its free

JSON Viewer Pro

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a widely-used data format that’s easy for humans to read and write, and it’s commonly used in APIs to transfer data between clients and servers. Despite its readability, large or deeply nested JSON files can quickly become difficult to navigate, especially in a raw, unformatted view. A JSON Viewer is a tool designed to make reading, editing, and understanding JSON data easier by organizing it into a clear, hierarchical structure. This guide explores the benefits, features, and popular extensions for JSON viewing in your browser.

A JSON Viewer pro is a tool that allows you to view JSON data in a more readable format by applying syntax highlighting, formatting, and a collapsible tree structure. Instead of viewing JSON as a plain text file, a JSON Viewer organizes it, making it easier to read and explore, especially when working with large, nested data structures.

Why every developer should use JSON Viewer

• Syntax Highlighting: JSON Viewers apply color coding to different data types, making it easier to distinguish between objects, arrays, strings, numbers, and booleans. This visual aid improves readability and reduces the risk of errors.

• Collapsible Tree Structure: JSON Viewers display JSON data in a hierarchical format, allowing users to expand or collapse sections as needed. This feature is especially helpful for navigating deeply nested JSON objects or large data sets.

• Error Detection: Many JSON Viewers can detect and highlight syntax errors, helping developers quickly identify and correct issues in their JSON data.

• Search and Filter Functionality: Some JSON Viewers allow users to search within JSON data, filtering results by keywords or values. This feature is handy when working with large data sets or looking for specific information within a JSON file.

• Export and Save Options: JSON Viewers often include options to export formatted JSON data as a file or copy it to the clipboard. This makes it easier to share data or save it for later use.

Click on the *ADD TO CHROME * button to add the extension to your chrome browser. Its free

Web Developer

The internet has become an integral part of daily life, with websites and web applications powering everything from e-commerce to entertainment, social networking, and beyond. Behind every website is a skilled web developer who designs, builds, and maintains these digital platforms. Web development is a dynamic, fast-evolving field that offers exciting career opportunities, allowing developers to create user-friendly and interactive web experiences.

A web developer is responsible for creating websites and web applications. They work on both the visible front-end (what users interact with) and the back-end (the server-side logic and databases) to bring a website to life. Web developers ensure that websites are functional, visually appealing, and optimized for a seamless user experience.

Why every developer needs a web developer extension

• Designing and coding website layouts

• Integrating graphics, videos, and interactive elements

• Optimizing websites for performance, speed, and security

• Ensuring cross-browser compatibility

• Debugging and troubleshooting technical issues

• Collaborating with designers, content creators, and other developers

Click on the *ADD TO CHROME * button to add the extension to your chrome browser.Its free

Lighthouse

In the competitive world of web development, creating high-performing, accessible, and SEO-optimized websites is essential. The Lighthouse Chrome Extension is an open-source tool developed by Google to help developers and site owners audit their websites for performance, accessibility, SEO, and more. With Lighthouse, you can generate detailed reports and actionable insights to improve your site’s user experience and search engine ranking.

The Lighthouse Chrome Extension is a powerful auditing tool that evaluates websites based on several key metrics. It runs a series of automated tests against your page and generates a report on its performance, SEO, accessibility, and adherence to best practices. Lighthouse allows developers to pinpoint areas that need improvement and provides clear recommendations to optimize the site.

Originally launched as a Chrome extension, Lighthouse is now also integrated into Chrome DevTools, making it accessible to anyone with the Chrome browser. However, the extension remains popular among those who prefer it as a standalone tool.

Why every developer needs the lighthouse extension

• Performance: Analyzes page load speed, resource loading, and other performance factors. This category provides insights on how to optimize a site to load faster and perform better, especially on mobile devices.

• Accessibility: Checks for accessibility issues that might affect users with disabilities. This includes testing for color contrast, keyboard navigation, and proper use of HTML tags, ensuring your site is accessible to all users.

• SEO: Evaluates on-page SEO practices, such as meta tags, headings, and mobile-friendliness, ensuring your site meets basic SEO standards to improve search engine visibility.

• Best Practices: Ensures that the site follows web development best practices, such as avoiding insecure JavaScript libraries and using HTTPS. It also checks for security issues and deprecated technologies.

• Progressive Web App (PWA): Assesses how well your site implements PWA features, including offline functionality, fast loading, and a mobile-friendly experience. PWAs combine the best of web and app experiences, so this audit is valuable if you’re aiming to create a high-quality mobile app-like experience.

Click on the *ADD TO CHROME * button and the extension shall be added to your chrome browser.Its free

EditThisCookie

Cookies play an essential role in the web browsing experience, storing information that websites use to remember user preferences, login sessions, and more. For developers, marketers, and privacy-conscious users, having control over cookies is invaluable. The Edit This Cookie Chrome extension is a powerful tool that allows you to view, edit, create, delete, and protect cookies directly from your browser, making cookie management fast and straightforward.

Edit This Cookie is a free, user-friendly Chrome extension designed to simplify cookie management. With Edit This Cookie, you can quickly view and modify cookies stored in your browser, enabling you to test and debug cookies for web development, manage cookie preferences, and even enhance your privacy. The extension provides a clean interface where you can access all cookie information for any website, making it a must-have tool for developers, testers, and everyday users alike.

Why every developer needs edit this cookie extension

• View and Edit Cookies: See all cookies associated with the active website and edit properties such as value, expiration date, and domain.

• Add and Delete Cookies: Easily create new cookies or delete existing ones, which is helpful for debugging or resetting your browsing experience on a particular site.

• Import and Export Cookies: Save cookies to your computer or import cookies from a file, allowing you to transfer sessions between browsers or systems without logging in again.

• Cookie Protection: Lock cookies so they won’t be modified, which is especially useful for cookies that store important session information that you don’t want overwritten or altered.

• Block and Clear Cookies: Block cookies from specific sites or clear all cookies with a single click, helping improve privacy and manage site-specific preferences.

• Backup and Restore Cookies: Save all cookies as a backup and restore them later if needed. This is ideal for developers and testers who need to keep a session or set of cookies consistent across multiple tests.

Click on the *ADD TO CHROME * button and the extension shall be added to your chrome browser.Its free

Postman Interceptor simplifies API testing by syncing cookies and capturing HTTP requests, making authenticated requests easy and secure. WhatFont empowers designers to identify and replicate typography with ease, enhancing creativity and ensuring visual consistency. JSON Viewer organizes complex JSON data into readable, structured formats, essential for developers handling APIs and large datasets. Lighthouse provides comprehensive audits, helping developers optimize site performance, accessibility, and SEO, which are critical for creating fast, user-friendly websites. Finally, Edit This Cookie offers granular control over cookies, making it invaluable for developers troubleshooting sessions, enhancing privacy, and managing user experience.

These extensions together create a well-rounded toolkit for anyone in the web industry, whether you’re focused on design, development, or performance optimization. By integrating them into your workflow, you can improve the efficiency, security, and quality of your web projects, making it easier to build and maintain exceptional online experiences.

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