Terminal.skills
Skills/wxt
>

wxt

Build cross-browser extensions with WXT — the modern framework for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge extensions. Use when someone asks to "build a browser extension", "Chrome extension with React", "WXT framework", "cross- browser extension", "manifest v3 extension", "build Firefox extension", or "browser extension with TypeScript". Covers content scripts, background workers, popup/options pages, storage, messaging, and publishing.

#browser-extension#chrome#firefox#wxt#manifest-v3
terminal-skillsv1.0.0
Works with:claude-codeopenai-codexgemini-clicursor
Source

Usage

$
✓ Installed wxt v1.0.0

Getting Started

  1. Install the skill using the command above
  2. Open your AI coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or Cursor)
  3. Reference the skill in your prompt
  4. The AI will use the skill's capabilities automatically

Example Prompts

  • "Review the open pull requests and summarize what needs attention"
  • "Generate a changelog from the last 20 commits on the main branch"

Documentation

Overview

WXT is a Vite-based framework for building browser extensions — think "Next.js for extensions." File-based entrypoints, hot reload, TypeScript-first, and it outputs a single extension that works on Chrome (MV3), Firefox (MV2/MV3), Safari, and Edge. No more manually editing manifest.json or reloading the extension after every change.

When to Use

  • Building a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or all browsers
  • Want hot reload during development (not manual reload)
  • Need TypeScript + React/Vue/Svelte in your extension
  • Migrating from Manifest V2 to V3
  • Want one codebase that targets multiple browsers

Instructions

Setup

bash
npx wxt@latest init my-extension
cd my-extension
npm install
npm run dev  # Opens Chrome with hot-reloading extension

Project Structure

my-extension/
├── entrypoints/
│   ├── popup/           # Popup UI (click extension icon)
│   │   ├── index.html
│   │   ├── main.tsx
│   │   └── App.tsx
│   ├── options/         # Options page
│   │   ├── index.html
│   │   └── main.tsx
│   ├── content.ts       # Content script (runs on web pages)
│   └── background.ts    # Service worker (background logic)
├── public/
│   └── icon/
│       ├── 16.png
│       ├── 48.png
│       └── 128.png
├── wxt.config.ts
└── package.json

Content Script

typescript
// entrypoints/content.ts — Runs on matched web pages
/**
 * Content scripts have access to the DOM of the page.
 * Define which URLs to match with the `matches` export.
 */
export default defineContentScript({
  matches: ["*://*.github.com/*"],  // Run on GitHub pages
  main() {
    // Add a custom button to every GitHub PR page
    const prHeader = document.querySelector(".gh-header-actions");
    if (prHeader) {
      const btn = document.createElement("button");
      btn.textContent = "🤖 AI Review";
      btn.className = "btn btn-sm";
      btn.onclick = async () => {
        const diff = document.querySelector(".diff-view")?.textContent;
        // Send to background for API call
        const review = await browser.runtime.sendMessage({
          type: "REVIEW_PR",
          diff: diff?.slice(0, 5000),
        });
        alert(review.summary);
      };
      prHeader.prepend(btn);
    }
  },
});

Background Service Worker

typescript
// entrypoints/background.ts — Persistent background logic
/**
 * Service worker handles API calls, alarms, and message routing.
 * No DOM access here — communicate with content scripts via messaging.
 */
export default defineBackground(() => {
  // Handle messages from content scripts
  browser.runtime.onMessage.addListener(async (msg, sender) => {
    if (msg.type === "REVIEW_PR") {
      const response = await fetch("https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions", {
        method: "POST",
        headers: {
          "Content-Type": "application/json",
          Authorization: `Bearer ${await storage.getItem("local:apiKey")}`,
        },
        body: JSON.stringify({
          model: "gpt-4o",
          messages: [{ role: "user", content: `Review this diff:\n${msg.diff}` }],
        }),
      });
      const data = await response.json();
      return { summary: data.choices[0].message.content };
    }
  });

  // Periodic tasks with alarms
  browser.alarms.create("check-notifications", { periodInMinutes: 5 });
  browser.alarms.onAlarm.addListener(async (alarm) => {
    if (alarm.name === "check-notifications") {
      // Check for updates, show badge
      const count = await checkNotifications();
      if (count > 0) {
        browser.action.setBadgeText({ text: String(count) });
      }
    }
  });
});

Popup UI (React)

tsx
// entrypoints/popup/App.tsx — Extension popup with React
import { useState, useEffect } from "react";

export default function App() {
  const [apiKey, setApiKey] = useState("");
  const [saved, setSaved] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    storage.getItem<string>("local:apiKey").then((key) => {
      if (key) setApiKey(key);
    });
  }, []);

  const save = async () => {
    await storage.setItem("local:apiKey", apiKey);
    setSaved(true);
    setTimeout(() => setSaved(false), 2000);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ width: 300, padding: 16 }}>
      <h2>🤖 AI PR Reviewer</h2>
      <input
        type="password"
        value={apiKey}
        onChange={(e) => setApiKey(e.target.value)}
        placeholder="OpenAI API Key"
        style={{ width: "100%" }}
      />
      <button onClick={save} style={{ marginTop: 8 }}>
        {saved ? "✅ Saved!" : "Save Key"}
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

Build for Multiple Browsers

bash
# Development (Chrome with hot reload)
npm run dev

# Development for Firefox
npm run dev:firefox

# Build for all browsers
npm run build          # Chrome MV3
npm run build:firefox  # Firefox MV2/MV3

# Zip for store submission
npm run zip
npm run zip:firefox

Examples

Example 1: Build a productivity extension

User prompt: "Build a Chrome extension that blocks distracting websites during focus time."

The agent will create a WXT extension with a popup for configuring blocked sites and focus timer, a content script that shows a block page on matched domains, and background alarms for timer management.

Example 2: Content enhancement extension

User prompt: "Build an extension that adds AI-powered summaries to any article page."

The agent will create a content script that detects article content, a floating sidebar UI, and background API calls to summarize text.

Guidelines

  • File-based entrypoints — file name and location determine the extension component
  • browser.* API — WXT polyfills Chrome and Firefox differences automatically
  • storage helper — type-safe extension storage with storage.getItem/setItem
  • Hot reload worksnpm run dev reloads content scripts and popup on save
  • MV3 service workers — background scripts are service workers (no persistent state)
  • matches for content scripts — define URL patterns where scripts should inject
  • Message passing — content script ↔ background communication via browser.runtime.sendMessage
  • One codebase, all browsers — build targets handle manifest differences
  • Icons at 16/48/128px — required for Chrome Web Store

Information

Version
1.0.0
Author
terminal-skills
Category
Development
License
Apache-2.0