Chrome extensions approach release

17 November 2009 16:09 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Google appears to be about to bring support for extensions into Chrome. In developer editions of the browser, there's a jigsaw puzzle area in the lower right corner of the new tab screen that links through to https://chrome.google.com/extensions - which isn't yet live.

That space used to be occupied by the themes gallery, but in the newest versions of Chrome and Chromium on Mac, Windows and Linux the jigsaw pattern appears instead. A couple of sample extensions, built by Google, are already working - a Google Mail Checker and BuildBot Monitor.

To install an extension, you just click an install link, download a file, click to run it, approve the installation and it's done. You don't have to restart the browser, like you do in Firefox. It remains to be seen if extensions will slow down Chrome in the same way they have with Firefox.

Given how many people we've heard refuse to switch over to Chrome because of the lack of extension support, this feature could prove popular. However, it'll depend on whether developers rush to support the platform in the same way they have with Firefox. We'll keep you posted.

Via: techcrunch.com

Full tags

Software, Browsers, Chrome, Google