Notes on CRX files and Chrome extensions
Plain-English explainers on CRX files, Chrome’s install errors and extension safety.
Note · 5 min readCRX Viewer: How to See What’s Inside a CRX File Before You Install ItBefore a .crx runs, look inside it: the files, the manifest, and what it will use. Three ways that don’t install anything.Note · 5 min read"CRX_REQUIRED_PROOF_MISSING": What It Means and What to DoChrome refused a .crx with "Package is invalid: CRX_REQUIRED_PROOF_MISSING". Why it happens, and four ways forward.Note · 5 min readChrome Developer Mode Extensions: Why Chrome Asks You to Disable ThemDeveloper mode extensions are unpacked ones, and Chrome keeps warning about them. What they are, and how to stop the popup cleanly.Note · 7 min readWhat Is a CRX File? (CRX vs ZIP, and Is It Safe?)A .crx is a ZIP with a signed header in front. What the header holds, how it differs from a .zip, and when one is safe to install.
Read it before it runs
CRX Starter shows what a package can reach before anything installs. Free on the Chrome Web Store.