Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats 755: Chrome Extensions and Ad Blockers VS Google with Oliver Dunk
Apr 12, 2024
Oliver Dunk, a developer relations engineer at Google with a background in Chrome extensions, shares insights on the significance of Manifest V3 for ad blockers. He discusses how the move from dynamic to static management impacts performance and security. Oliver also delves into Chrome’s extension review processes and the challenges posed by malicious extensions. The conversation is enriched by personal anecdotes and the tech landscape's shift towards enhancing user experiences through innovative browser tools.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Manifest V3 Overview
- Chrome extensions use a manifest file (manifest.json) to specify their capabilities and configuration.
- Manifest V3, a significant upgrade, introduces changes to background scripts and network request handling.
Ad Blocker Lists
- Ad blockers use extensive lists of rules (regexes and selectors) to identify and block unwanted content.
- The complexity of these lists reflects the constant "cat and mouse" game between ad blockers and websites.
Rule Limits in V3
- Manifest V3 initially had restrictive limits on the number of rules in ad blockers, impacting their functionality.
- Google increased those limits based on community feedback, now allowing up to 330,000 rules per extension.