What are Browser Extensions?

Well, just think about it for a minute, what do you think browswer extensions might be? Yes, you’ve got it, they extend your browser allowing you to add new features to it.

Browser extensions mean that you can literally customize your own browser, with the features which you specifically want, they kind of add superpower to your browser making it stronger, faster or better at whatever is important to you.

You really can pick and choose which browser extensions might be helpful for your needs. For example, if you’re the type of person who likes nothing more than to set off on your travels with just a passport, a laptop and a backpack, then a currency browser extension might be useful for you when you’re booking your next adventure online. At the push of a button you could quickly convert the currency between euros, dollars, Japanese yen or the Haitian Gourde (yes, it’s a real one, you can check it if you like) depending on where you’re going.

Browser extensions are not limited to acting with a web page, they can also operate alone! If, for example, you choose to have an email notifier extension this can be on your browser toolbar and inform you of when “you’ve got mail”. This means that it’s always keeping an eye on your mailbox no matter whatever else you’re up to.

The first browser extensions were often built in mainstream computer programming language like C++, which naturally took up loads of time and expertise, after all, it was a lot of work. It also made the browsers a little more vulnerable to attack, in fact, many of the early browser extensions began to get a bad name for causing browsers to crash.

These days the majority of browser extensions are written in the friendlier programming languages of CSS, HTML and JavaScript. Since this is also the language of most web pages and applications, they are more of the same family so to speak so they can work much more efficiently together. They are getting progressively faster, safer and easier to build, in fact they just get better all the time.

It’s pretty easy to discover which new extensions are available for your browser, just check out the extensions gallery. Browsing can be quicker, it can be more efficient and it can be even more fun that it is already, and it can help you make your computer even more efficient in fulfilling your personal needs.