Google Chrome wasn’t the primary internet browser to go into the world, but in spite of a rising collection of competition through the years, it continues to carry the name of most well liked.

Since arriving at the scene in 2008, Chrome regularly closed ranks, then simply surpassed the once-dominant Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Web Explorer (the latter of which had upwards of 90% marketplace proportion in its heyday).

Even diehard Foxophiles and Gate(s)keepers―lately protecting slightly 5% of the browser marketplace mixed―have lengthy since switched to the metal maven. Whether or not browsing from a desktop or a mobile device, Chrome is definitively the most-used browser in just about any nation.

Most popular browsers 2021 graph
Chrome’s immense reputation some distance exceeds all different to be had browsers. Supply: Gs.statcounter.com

As a internet developer, you wish to have to make sure that what you’ve designed is in a position to adapt to any instrument or browser. Google Chrome, as essentially the most used browser, will have to be on the best of that record.

With the exception of the use of Chrome as a part of your browser trying out, it’s additionally useful with regards to the gear (or extensions) that had been in particular created for internet builders.

To that finish, we’ve put in combination a to hand record of Chrome internet developer extensions that we really feel in reality move the muster. Stay studying to determine what they’re, or use the soar hyperlinks beneath to visit any phase.

And stale we pass…

Builders Paradise

With the exception of the use of Chrome as a part of your browser trying out, it’s additionally useful with regards to the gear/extensions that had been in particular created with Chrome internet builders in thoughts.

WordPress builders know the way robust the CMS is by itself, however you’ll be able to make it even quicker and extra environment friendly at once out of your Chrome browser with some candy extensions.

Chrome makes simple paintings of this with one-click installs, and conversely (in case you’re now not proud of any), one-click uninstalls. You’ll additionally pin any you wish to have to get to extra briefly, simply identifiable as shortcut icons within the browser bar.

So let’s get began, and delve into the most productive Google Chrome extensions for internet builders.

Running a blog and Writing

WordPress Admin Bar Control

WP admin bar

In case you’ve ever been afflicted by way of the WordPress admin bar that looks while you attempt to view your web site’s entrance finish (from time to time it blocks necessary elements of your web site that you wish to have so that you could view when you’re previewing posts), we really feel you.

This extension does one easy factor, however it does it properly. You’ll disguise the admin bar while you click on its icon subsequent on your cope with bar. It’s an ideal fast method to see what you’re lacking with no need to hotel to logging out or opening an incognito window.

Don’t let the loss of fresh updates scare you away. It does precisely what it’s intended to, and because the announcing is going… if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it.

WordPress Site Manager

WP site manager

This Chrome Extension will retailer your WordPress web site knowledge and make allowance fast and simple get right of entry to on your web site’s primary pages. It additionally supplies extra capability to the WordPress theme editor by way of turning it right into a CodeMirror editor.

Whenever you input your login knowledge as soon as, you’ll be able to get right of entry to your saved websites with the WordPress Web page Supervisor extension. You’ll edit primary pages, upload websites on your community, make changes on your theme and different elementary adjustments.

The entire to be had adjustments are smartly arranged at the web page to make fast paintings of edits and amendments.

Grammarly

Grammarly

Grammarly is one extension we’re addicted to. No longer best does it correctly can help you establish spelling errors (with a pink underline), it additionally issues out grammatical ones (with a inexperienced underline).

Essentially the most useful characteristic is the way it very easily shows correction tips while you hover over the phrase in query. Simply click on at the recommendation you wish to have to make use of, and it robotically replaces the unique textual content or punctuation.

It doesn’t simply paintings for WordPress posts, both. It really works anyplace you’ll be able to enter textual content so making improvements to your reproduction, pages, merchandise, or even your emails is a breeze.

There’s a top rate subscription to be had which extends out of doors of Chrome, if you want get right of entry to to complex corrections and writing enhancements.

Styling and Design

ColorZilla

ColorZilla

Have you ever ever long past to a web site the place you had been straight away interested in the color palette? ColorZilla makes it in reality simple to seek out the hexadecimal code for any colour at the web site you’re lately visiting.

With over 5 million downloads and 1.3 million customers, ColorZilla is without doubt one of the most well liked Google Chrome extensions to be had. Regardless of no updates since 2016, it nonetheless works like a champ.

All it’s a must to do is snatch the eyedropper icon, hover over the colour, then click on on it to generate a colour code.

ColorZilla includes a multitude of colour gear for almost any wishes you will have, together with: an eyedropper, colour picker, palette viewer, and a gradient generator.

Fonts Ninja

Fonts Ninja

Fonts Ninja identifies fonts from any web page, so that you don’t pull your hair out pondering, WTF? (“What’s that font?” 😊)

They have got a proprietary set of rules that analyzes font recordsdata to get extra correct effects, and up to date updates have dramatically advanced the processing pace as properly.

Rollover any textual content to get the font identify and CSS houses. The principle extension window may even show a abstract of all fonts used on a web page. You’ll additionally get extra details about fonts, akin to what number of types are to be had, their foundry, and value (if available to buy).

You’ll even bookmark fonts, and arrange them inside the extension.

A top rate model is to be had. It permits macOS/home windows apps to put in trial variations of fonts you find on web sites, which you’ll be able to then use in any device.

QR Code Generator

QR Code Generator

QR Code Generator is tremendous to hand, and extremely rated.

It converts your present web page right into a QR Code with one fast click on. You’ll generate QR Codes from unfastened textual content and URLs at the fly.

Key options come with automated Darkish mode, talent to obtain the QR code as a picture, talent to create customized QR code with brand, hotkey improve, and extra.

Since the devs flip the uncooked URL to a QR code and don’t come with any third-party subject matter in it, any QR codes you create are completely energetic/by no means expire. (And extra importantly, protected, as a result of they don’t observe your information or visitors.)

QR code generator, generated
Enjoying round with QR Code Generator. Cross forward―scan it!

Nimbus

Nimbus capture

Nimbus Screenshot & Display Video Recorder is an excessively useful, extremely flexible device.

Use Nimbus Seize to take screenshots―complete internet pages, or any a part of the display. File movies of all of your desktop or browser tabs, or create movies the use of your webcam. Use the whole suite of modifying gear to annotate, crop, upload drawings, arrows, stickers, or spotlight textual content.

This extension gives a fantastic quantity of choices. Listed below are only a few:

  • Helps scroll & seize for screenshots
  • File video of every other energetic program, or a video display from a webcam
  • Customise video display answer and body fee
  • Trim & crop screenshots and movies
  • Percentage screenshots and get a sharable hyperlink to them
  • Ship screenshots to Slack, or add to Google Pressure and Google Study room
  • Save screenshot captures to a PDF

The unfastened model feels top rate, bearing in mind all you’ll be able to do with it. Then again, in addition they be offering a paid model (round the cost of one fancy cup of espresso, monthly) which provides much more capability, akin to including your individual watermark, and changing WebM to MP4 and GIF.

Page Ruler Redux

Page Ruler Redux

Web page Ruler Redux is a core internet builders extension and clothier device that permits you to get pixel best measurements of internet components for web page front-end building, internet design, or any activity you will have that calls for exacting pixel measurements.

This extension additionally lets you resize the ruler, and regulate colour for best distinction on darkish and lightweight web sites.

WordPress Theme Detector and Plugin Detector

Word Theme & Plugin Detector

WordPress Theme Detector and Plugin Detector can locate put in WordPress Subject matters and WordPress Plugins at the web page you’re lately viewing.

This extension is terribly speedy as it makes use of the builders personal, server-side API, now not your browser.

In case you click on on Theme Used on / display extra from the extensions icon dropdown, you’ll see examples of different web sites the use of the detected theme, together with kid topics (if there are any).

WP theme & plugin detector, 2
NASA’s weblog makes use of WP’s in style Twenty 16 theme, together with many different websites.

WordPress Theme Detector and Plugin Detector extension pulls in combination a listing of examples (proven above).

Any other cool little characteristic: when the use of the extension, its icon turns blue if it detects a WordPress web site, gray if it doesn’t.

Productiveness and Group

Asana

Asana

Asana customers have fun. You’ll now prolong the standard capability of Asana on any Chrome web page, additional boosting your productiveness.

You’ll upload duties whilst perusing the internet, or even input the web site you’re viewing as a job. That’s now not all, both―you’ll be able to assign workforce contributors, workspaces and outlines. It’s the very best device to assist stay you arranged and targeted to your duties.

Evernote Web Clipper

Evernote

Right here’s one more reason so that you can cheer, this is in case you’re an avid Evernote person. With the Evernote Internet Clipper extension, you’ll be able to save complete internet pages or simplified clips on your selected notebooks.

You’ll additionally annotate your variety or take a complete screenshot. It’s one of these nice method to stay observe of your concepts and inspirations as they occur.

Toggl Track

Toggle Track

The Toggl Monitor extension places a timer into any internet device, permitting fast, actual time productiveness monitoring, with the entire information saved to your Toggl account.

Whether or not you employ Trello, Slack, Asana, Todoist, Jira, Perception, or one of the most 100+ built-in gear, get started monitoring time with out opening a brand new tab. Toggl Monitor timer can now additionally fill your Pomodoro wishes thru automatic reminders.

One Tab

OneTab

We’ve all been there… you end up with too many open tabs, and the jumble turns into complicated, obscures textual content, and drains reminiscence.

OneTab’s resolution? Save as much as 95% reminiscence and cut back tab litter. Merely click on the extension icon to transform your whole tabs into a listing. When you wish to have to get right of entry to the tabs once more, you’ll be able to both repair them for my part, or all of sudden.

In addition they supply privateness assurance, declaring the details about your tabs is rarely transmitted or disclosed to the OneTab builders.

HubSpot Sales

Hubspot Sales

With over 800K consumers raving about this extension, Hubspot Gross sales is a broadly in style―and reasonably helpful―chrome extension.

Agenda emails, observe opens & clicks, log messages out of your CRM to Gmail, and proportion electronic mail templates along with your workforce, the use of Hubspot’s Gross sales productiveness gear. You’ll additionally e-book conferences, which can sync thru your Google calendar. It even has cell apps, for each iOS & Android.

You’ll want an account with Hubspot to make use of the extension, however it’s unfastened to get one. There may be a paid model, which provides capability for automatic non-public outreach, in addition to greater limits on templates, assembly scheduling, electronic mail monitoring, and extra.

This actual set of gear accommodates the corporate’s “Gross sales Hub”. It’s one in a bigger suite of CRM platforms which Hubspot divides into classes (akin to Advertising and marketing, Provider, Operations, and so on), each and every with its personal integrations and related charges.

For some nice rules, practices, and recommendations on putting in & the use of Hubspot, take a look at those articles from our Member Discussion board: Why & How to Know If The Email You Sent is Opened, and Use Hubspot’s Email Extension to Increase Your Sales & Improve Processes.

Web page Efficiency

SimilarWeb

Similar Web

Similarweb is without equal aggressive virtual intelligence device for an entire 360-degree view of your business, competition, and consumers.

Get entry to visitors and key metrics for any web page, together with engagement fee, visitors score, key phrase score, and visitors supply.

The Similarweb extension gives you the whole breadth of similarweb.com at once out of your browser toolbar. With a unmarried click on, you’ll be able to get in-depth statistics for any web page you consult with.

It’s necessary to notice that now not all websites at the entirety of the web are saved in SimilarWeb’s database, so that you would possibly not see your web site’s stats in case you’re simply beginning out, or don’t lately have many web page perspectives.

app.telemetry

App.telemetry

App.telemetry makes it simple to briefly check your web site’s pace by way of clicking its icon for your browser, as soon as put in. You’ll see precisely the place you’ll be able to make stronger your web site’s pace with the types indexed for you together with the entire load occasions.

Its Web page Pace Observe presentations offset and length of each and every step all over the web page load, in keeping with W3C navigation timing. Once you get right of entry to a web page, you spot the burden time within the standing bar, and detailed knowledge is a click on away.

One of the most classes you’ll be able to see come with redirects, cache, DNS look up and on load occasions. Whilst it doesn’t display detailed stats, it’s a perfect resolution if you wish to have a handy guide a rough method to test the development of your web site when you’re in building.

Web Developer Checklist

Web Developer Checklist

One of the useful gear for builders, Toptal’s Internet Developer Google Chrome extension, analyses and tests your webpage for any primary violations of internet design easiest practices.

It seems to be for search engine optimization, usability, accessibility, and function (page speed)—amongst others.

Open SEO Stats

Open SEO Stats

Open search engine optimization Stats (previously known as PageRank Standing), is helping you get a snapshot of the place you stand on the net by way of exhibiting the web page ranks for Alexa, Google, Compete, and Quantcast, while you click on its button for your browser.

It additionally has the power of unveiling WHOIS knowledge, and the collection of pages which might be listed in serps (together with Google, Bing, & Yahoo).

Moreover, it presentations cache stats (Archive.org, Google), in addition to getting knowledge on back links, socials, Geo IP location, and extra.

In case you go for a top rate account, you’ll be able to release a number of extra useful options.

Ubersuggest – SEO and Keyword Ideas

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest gives a handy guide a rough method to get an summary of the search engine optimization of the websites you’re surfing, and the key phrases it ranks.

As soon as put in, pass to Google, YouTube, or Amazon, and carry out a seek. This is the place you are going to see information across the key phrases and seek phrases. On any given key phrase you looked for, click on “view all” subsequent to the quest bar to get get right of entry to to much more key phrases and search engine optimization insights.

Ubersuggest search engine optimization extension additionally has graphs and tendencies, back links information, comparable key phrases, “other people additionally seek for”, trending & long-tail key phrases, and customization of your location and language.

Lighthouse

Lighthouse

Whilst WMPU DEV’s SmartCrawl is extra thorough in comparing the efficiency of your web page, you may wish to know the common efficiency of a few different third-party web sites. That is the place the Lighthouse developer extension turns out to be useful.

When auditing a web page, Lighthouse runs a barrage of assessments in opposition to it, after which generates a file on how properly the web page did. From right here you’ll be able to use the failing assessments as signs on what you’ll be able to do to make stronger your app.

Merely set up the plugin, click on on its icon, and it robotically begins examining by the use of Lighthouse.

Tag Assistant for Conversions Beta (by way of Google)

Tag Assistant for Conversions Beta

Tag Assistant for Conversions Beta is helping validate your web page implementation used to measure conversions for Google Commercials.

Tag Assistant lets you step thru all of the person adventure by way of simulating a click on on an advert, arriving to your web page, navigating the web site, and in the long run changing.

The step-by-step steering will spotlight doable issues or misconfigurations, and in the long run can help you know when the conversion is being recorded appropriately.

WordPress Construction

WordPress.org Plugins SVN Link

WP Plugins SVN Link

This isn’t your conventional extension – a button doesn’t display up within the best of your browser. As a substitute, a button shows for pages within the WordPress plugins listing.

Beneath the standard obtain button, you’ll additionally see an SVN Repository button as soon as this extension is put in. As soon as clicked, you’ll be in a position to try the plugin’s code first-hand.

You’ll be in a position to have a look underneath the hood and think about the code’s high quality earlier than deciding to obtain the plugin. You’ll be capable to find a way to catch bloated or malicious code earlier than putting in the plugin, serving to you to keep away from crisis earlier than it moves.

MySQL Admin

My SQL Admin

This Google Chrome developer extension makes it more uncomplicated so that you can arrange your MySQL database. It gives you the management GUI of the MySQL server, very similar to phpMyAdmin, Sequel Professional.

MySQL Admin options come with:

  • Connecting to MySQL server (4.1 or later), connecting to MySQL server with SSL, connecting to MySQL server by the use of SSH2 Port forwarding
  • Exhibiting the statistics and procedure record of attached server (refresh robotically), desk record, and rows of decided on desk
  • Developing and shedding tables, placing and updating rows
  • Exporting databases

Link Redirect Trace

Link Redirect Trace

Hyperlink Redirect Hint used to be constructed to exchange all different “partial resolution” extensions, and is the all-in-one redirect trail analyzer that will give you the whole image on each redirect―HTTP Headers, Rel-Canonicals, robots.txt, hyperlink energy, agree with and possibility analyzed.

Carry out complex, complete, and―maximum necessary―right kind research of hyperlinks, redirects, and REL-canonicals. Use this extension to your search engine optimization research, On web page search engine optimization, Off web page search engine optimization, competitor research and extra.

Ahead of putting in every other Chrome extension, observe that this capability might already be integrated as a part of an search engine optimization device or WordPress plugin you already use.

CSS Peeper

CSS Peeper

Check up on types in a easy, well-organized, & stunning manner with CSS Peeper.

CSS Peeper is a Chrome CSS extension viewer adapted for designers, that permits you to center of attention on design as a substitute of digging in code.

Wish to know the line-height, font, or button dimension on a web page? Test the hidden CSS taste of gadgets, colours and property on the net simply the use of this extension.

Web Developer

Web Developer

With nearly 1,000,000 customers and a 4.5-star ranking, it’s protected to mention that Internet Developer is one in all Google Chrome’s easiest extensions for internet builders.

Advanced by way of Chris Pedrick, this extension provides a bit of toolbar with quite a lot of internet developer gear pertaining to pictures, knowledge, resizing, bureaucracy, and a lot more.

Clockwork

Clockwork

Clockwork supplies a suite of building gear for PHP builders. It supplies a brand new panel with all required knowledge for debugging and profiling PHP scripts, together with request information, utility log, database queries, routes, and the visualization of utility runtime.

Clockwork makes use of a server-side part that gathers all related information and simply integrates with any PHP challenge. It contains improve for Laravel, Narrow 2, and CodeIgniter 2.1 based totally packages.

XDebug Helper

XDebug Helper

This Google Chrome extension is helping with debugging, profiling, and tracing PHP code as a substitute of suffering with POST/GET variables or cookies.

XDebug Helper may be very helpful for PHP builders which might be the use of PHP gear with Xdebug improve (like PHPStorm, Eclipse with PDT, Netbeans and MacGDBp), or some other Xdebug suitable profiling device (like KCacheGrind, WinCacheGrind, or Webgrind).

Necessary: you wish to have to be in Developer mode (on chrome: // extensions/ web page) for this to paintings.

Don’t be apprehensive by way of the ultimate replace indicated (2016). WP evaluations as fresh as July 2021 had been 5-star ravings, and we concur―it’s nonetheless nice.

Wappalyzer

Wappalyzer

A device evolved by way of Elbert Alias in 2009, Wappalyzer is a Google Chrome extension that permits builders to spot the quite a lot of applied sciences that make up the again finish of a web page.

Wappalyzer is an open-source and cross-platform software that is in a position to locate over 1000 applied sciences, together with content material control programs, ecommerce platforms, internet frameworks, server device, analytics gear and extra.

Window Resizer

Window Resizer

Because of Google’s mobile-first index initiative, it’s extra necessary now than ever for builders to check web sites for responsive design—that is the place Window Resizer is available in.

This Google Chrome extension resizes the browser window to be able to check your responsive design in keeping with quite a lot of resolutions. The commonest display sizes are to be had (for computer, desktop, and cell), however you’ll be able to additionally input for your personal custom designed window sizes.

Tab Resize

Tab Resize

You best have two eyes, which can inevitably be having a look on the similar position. Even so, it may well incessantly be very helpful to separate the display between a number of home windows, both to duplicate the content material and even to apply an instructional. With this extension, you’ll be able to cut up the display between 4 home windows, or between two, vertically and horizontally.

It additionally has the choices of “empty tab”, which robotically creates different empty tabs, or “unmarried tab”, which adjustments best the present tab. Resize the CURRENT tab and tabs to the RIGHT into layouts on separate home windows.

With multi-monitor improve, Tab Resize makes cut up display simple.

Thus ends our beneficial record of easiest chrome extensions for builders.

There’s No Position Like Chr(H)ome

Taking into consideration the huge utilization and recognition of Google’s Chrome browser, coupled with its ease of use, pace, reliability, and huge number of gear within the type of extensions and topics, it’s a well-informed option to make it your browser for building.

Chrome has been busy proliferating an infinite array of the most productive chrome extensions for internet builders for greater than a decade―from essentially the most elemental and normal design & building gear, to these geared to programming languages (akin to HTML, PHP, CSS, and so on.).

The sky’s the prohibit right here… construct your assortment to suit your non-public workflow. It bears bringing up that a few of these extensions require you to go into non-public knowledge, akin to your web site’s login. Whilst we’ve had no issues the use of unfastened variations of those extensions, all the time workout due warning earlier than offering non-public credentials.

In case you’re on the lookout for extra excellent reads in this matter, take a look at those further articles: Using Heat Maps to See Exactly Where Visitors Are Clicking On Your WordPress Site, 12 Not-So-Obvious WordPress Tweaks to Improve Posts and Pages, Improve the WordPress Visual Editor With These Cool Hacks, and Leveraging Chrome Developer Tools for WordPress Development.

With a starvation for endured finding out and a killer device equipment at your disposal, honing your developer abilities is probably countless. As WPMU DEV member, Lucas Ondata Marketing, put it: you’ll have an enviable “software belt for heroes operating with web sites”.

WordPress Developers

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