10 Best Chrome Extensions for Web Developers 2023 – Google Chrome is undoubtedly one of the best browsers currently on the market. Among the various strengths, there is the possibility of “extending” it through the use of plugins available in the Chrome Web Store . These extensions are free and allow us to fulfill different purposes. In the past I have already shown you some features that are ideal for graphic and UI/UX designers and others that can help you with SEO .
The Chrome Web Store is very large and, within it, it is also possible to find a series of extensions that can significantly improve the working life of developers. In this article, we will review the best chrome extensions for web developers . I will tell you ten of them and you will be the one to choose the ones that are right for you. I just have to wish you a good reading.
10 Best Chrome Extensions for Web Developers
JSON Formatter
If you deal with web development then you will have had to deal with the JSON format at least once . JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is nothing but a text format that is ideal for exchanging data. It was designed to be easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to interpret and generate.
It is often used to transmit data in text format between a server and a web application and we can say that it is the natural heir of the XML format. JSON Formatter is a very useful extension that allows you, in just a few clicks, to view your JSON files through a clear and uncluttered interface.
JSON files, in fact, can have nests and a substantial amount of lines of code inside them. In these cases, the JSON Formatter can prove to be a real godsend. Try it and you won’t regret it.
Stylus
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to edit a website’s CSS and maybe share a new version with someone without having to wait for deployment? Well, all this can be a reality thanks to the extension that I am about to introduce you: namely Stylus .
Stylus allows you to customize the appearance of your favorite websites, this extension for Google Chrome allows you to easily install and manage custom themes and skins. Developed and supported by a fervent community of enthusiasts, Stylus gives you the ability to create, edit and manage your own custom CSS styles easily and intuitively.
You will be able to exploit the power of Stylus to give a personal touch to your websites and make your browsing experience even more unique and enjoyable.
Grepper
A good web developer is also distinguished by the ability to find information on the web and thus find answers to everyday problems. In fact, how many times do we have to access websites such as the well-known stackoverflow portal to find pieces of code to insert in our applications.
Wouldn’t it be easier if the code contained within the search result was directly in the search results themselves, ready to be copied? Grepper does just that. Once this extension is installed on your chrome, all you need to do is search and, if there is any code, it will be shown directly on the screen, saving you many clicks!
Cookie Editor
Another very useful extension when developing a web application is Cookie Editor . Cookies are small text files that are saved on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are used for various purposes, such as keeping track of your browsing activity, memorizing your access preferences and customizing the site content according to your needs.
During the development phases it becomes very useful to manage them easily and – although this operation can also be carried out through the application tab present in the chrome development tools – it is easier to make changes using this extension.
In fact, Cookie Editor provides you with a handy panel for each browser window in use. From here you can simply double-click on the input next to the cookie you want to change and make the change. Testing parts from logged in, modals and other code conditioned by the presence of a cookie will become simple and immediate.
Octotree – GitHub code tree
Knowing how to use code versioning software is important, especially if you work within a team. One of the leading software in this area is GitHub. With this extension , called Octotree – GitHub code tree , you will have a real IDE for GitHub that will help you organize the files in your repositories in a well-organized graph structure.
Just install it and go to the web address where your files are located on GitHub. On your left you will have the panel containing all the information you need. I find it really brilliant and I’m not the only one who thinks so: in fact it enjoys a rating of 5 out of 5 stars against over 1000 votes on the Chrome Web Store.
Lighthouse
Have you ever heard of Core Web Vitals? Core Web Vitals are a set of performance metrics that measure the quality of a site’s user experience. These metrics are very important today as they have been selected by Google to evaluate user experience and are easy to measure and optimize.
There are three metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) : measures the time it takes for the main content of a page to become visible to the user, First Input Delay (FID) : measures the time between when the user interacts with the page (for example, clicking a button) and when the page reacts to the interaction and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – Measures the amount of visual movement that occurs during page load, for example when page elements move or change size.
Google recommends optimizing these metrics to offer users a smooth and satisfying browsing experience. But how to measure and optimize them? There are several methods to do this and one of them is to use the chrome extension called Lighthouse .
Lighthouse is an extension released directly by Google and which allows us to identify possible problems within our layouts and optimize them to improve performance, user satisfaction and positioning within search engines.
Web Makers
A self-respecting web developer is always ready to experiment to discover new and interesting features and avoid annoying bugs in production. But how to test? We need some sort of Playground , possibly available even when offline .
In this case we are met by an extension called Web Maker . All you need to do is install it to have all the tools available to create prototypes using HTML/CSS and JS to make your creations dynamic and interactive.
Designer Tools
The job of the web developer is also a job of great attention to detail . How many times do we find ourselves creating interfaces that are pixel perfect ? Often it is not easy to extricate oneself between plays of colors, alignments, line spacing and spaces and a little help is needed. Fortunately, we can find the solution, once again, within the Google Chrome extension store.
Deisnger Tools is the ideal extension for web designers and web developers who want to achieve a good degree of perfection when designing and creating interfaces for websites. Once installed, you will have a real integrated suite that will allow you to measure elements and recognize alignments within any web page.
Cypress Recorder
Cypress is an automated testing framework for web applications. It stands out for its user-friendly interface, ease of use and the ability to test applications efficiently and accurately. Here you will find a detailed guide to integrate Cypress into your web projects.
This Google Chrome extension is very useful if you use Cypress as a test framework within your project as it allows you to record the session of a real user and therefore be able to easily test all the scenarios you have created. Installed and start recording your tests. In this way you will be able to correct them and easily find the bugs of the application.
Read Also:- 5 Essential SEO Tips for Developers in 2023
Vue.js Dev Tools
Vue.js is a JavaScript framework for developing user interfaces (UI). It stands out for its lightness, ease of use and the ability to integrate easily with other frameworks and libraries and, like Angular and React, it allows you to create complex frontend-side applications. I explained how to integrate it and use it to design your applications.
If you develop in Vue.js then you will find the Vue.js Dev Tools extension very useful . This extension allows you to easily debug any application built with the Javascript Vue framework. Using it is very simple: install it on your browser and activate it. Now open the Google developer tool and you will notice a new tab that will allow you to access all the components on the page. In this way, finding bugs and testing your Vue applications will be really child’s play.
Conclusions
As you may have understood, extensions for Google Chrome are today an indispensable tool for web developers, as they allow you to extend the browser’s functionality and simplify your work. In this article, I’ve shown you 10 Best Chrome extensions for Web Developers that I’m sure will come in handy for you.
Each of these extensions offers a set of specific tools and features for developers , such as the ability to examine HTML code, measure the size of page elements, and debug our applications.
If you’re a web developer and are looking for ways to streamline your workflow and boost productivity, you’ll want to check out these Chrome extensions. They could be right for you and help you do your job more efficiently and faster.