Is this skill compatible with Manifest V3?

Yes, it is specifically designed to handle the Service Worker architecture and permissions required by Manifest V3.

Will it automatically refresh my extension's options page?

Yes, the client-side script detects open extension tabs and refreshes them before reloading the extension runtime.

How do I run the reload server?

After the skill helps you set up the files, you simply run 'node hot-reload-server.mjs' in your terminal.

What permissions are required in manifest.json?

The extension requires the 'management' and 'tabs' permissions to detect development mode and refresh active pages.

Does this solution require external npm dependencies?

No, it is a zero-dependency solution that utilizes native Node.js fs.watch and the browser's EventSource API.

Chrome Extension Hot Reloader | Claude Code Skill

This skill streamlines the development experience for Chrome extension creators by implementing a lightweight, zero-dependency hot-reloading system. By leveraging a Node.js watcher and Server-Sent Events (SSE), it automatically refreshes the extension's background service worker and open extension tabs whenever source files are modified. This eliminates the need to manually navigate to chrome://extensions to reload, significantly increasing developer productivity when building Manifest V3 projects.

Key Features

01Zero-dependency implementation using native Node.js and browser APIs

02Tailored specifically for Manifest V3 (MV3) architecture

03Automatic background service worker refreshing via chrome.runtime.reload()

04Simple Node.js watcher using native fs.watch for minimal overhead

054,346 GitHub stars

06Real-time reloading for options pages and extension popups

Use Cases

01Iterating on background script logic without manual re-installation

02Speeding up the feedback loop for Manifest V3 extension development

03Building complex UI components for Chrome extension popups or options pages

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Chrome Extension Hot Reloader

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