#What is Browser Extension Starter Template?

Browser Extension Starter Template is a free, open-source boilerplate template developed by poweroutlet2, designed to help developers kickstart Chrome extension projects with a modern tech stack. Its primary goal is to provide a pre-configured setup for building feature-rich extensions, targeting web developers and React enthusiasts creating tools like productivity apps, content enhancers, or social media utilities. Built with Plasmo (extension framework), React, Shadcn UI, and tRPC (type-safe API), it offers a streamlined development experience with auto-updating builds and support for Manifest V3. The template includes popup, options, and content script files for quick customization. For Chrome extension developers, browser-extension-starter is a perfect fit, leveraging Shadcn UI’s accessible components and Plasmo’s deployment tools to deliver polished extensions.

#Features ⚡️

• Pre-Configured Setup: Ready-to-use template with popup, options, and content scripts.

• Plasmo Framework: Simplifies extension development with Manifest V3 support.

• Shadcn UI Integration: Accessible, customizable UI components for popups and options.

• tRPC Support: Type-safe API communication for backend integration.

• Auto-Update Builds: Development builds (e.g., build/chrome-mv3-dev) refresh on code changes.

• Type Safety: React and TypeScript ensure robust, error-free coding.

#Pros and Cons

#✅ Pros

• Free and Open-Source: MIT license allows unrestricted use and contributions.

• Modern Stack: Plasmo, React, Shadcn UI, and tRPC ensure cutting-edge development.

• Shadcn UI Fit: Accessible components enhance extension UI design.

• Easy Setup: Load development builds (e.g., chrome-mv3-dev) for instant coding.

• Deployment Ready: Built-in bpp GitHub Action simplifies store publishing.

• Type-Safe: tRPC and TypeScript reduce runtime errors.

#⚠️ Cons

• Chrome-Only: Focused on Chrome with Manifest V3, limiting cross-browser support.

• Setup Complexity: Requires Plasmo, Shadcn UI, and tRPC familiarity.

• Learning Curve: New developers may struggle with tRPC or Plasmo’s ecosystem.

• No Content Script Auto-Reload: Content scripts require manual browser refresh.

• Early Stage: May lack extensive documentation or community support.

• Dependency Overhead: Multiple frameworks may increase bundle size.

#Included Components - Templates

Browser Extension Starter Template provides a variety of extension components:

• Popup: Editable React component in popup.tsx for main UI.

• Options Page: Add options.tsx for customizable settings (optional).

• Content Script: Add content.ts for webpage interactions (optional).

• tRPC Router: Pre-configured for type-safe API calls.

#Pricing 💵

Browser Extension Starter Template operates on a Free model:

• Free Access: Fully open-source under MIT license, no costs for usage.

• No Pro Version: No premium features or paid tiers mentioned.

• Additional Costs: Potential hosting or API costs for tRPC backend; store publishing fees may apply.

#Integrations 🧰

Browser Extension Starter Template integrates with:

• Plasmo: Core framework for Chrome extension development.

• React: Frontend library for UI components.

• Shadcn UI: Accessible component library for styling.

• tRPC: Type-safe API for backend communication.

• Tailwind CSS (Implied): Likely used with Shadcn UI for styling.

• GitHub Actions: Built-in bpp action for store deployment.