Chrome Extension Open Source — Developer Guide

2 min read

Guide to Open-Sourcing Chrome Extensions

This guide covers the process, benefits, and best practices for open-sourcing your Chrome extension.

Why Open Source?

License Selection

License Best For
MIT Maximum adoption, commercial projects
Apache 2.0 Patent protection matters
GPL v3 Enforcing open-source throughout ecosystem

Warning: Linking to GPL libraries may require GPL compatibility.

Cross-ref: docs/guides/license-mit.md

Repository Structure

src/     # Source code
docs/    # Documentation
.github/ # Workflows, templates
tests/   # Test files
README.md
LICENSE
.gitignore

README Essentials

# Extension Name

Brief description.

## Chrome Web Store {#chrome-web-store}
[Install from Chrome Web Store](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/...)

## Development Setup {#development-setup}
pnpm install && pnpm build

## Contributing {#contributing}
See CONTRIBUTING.md

Cross-ref: docs/guides/contributing-guide.md

Separating Secrets

Never commit sensitive data. Use .env files (gitignored), inject secrets at build time. Cross-ref: docs/guides/security-best-practices.md

Reproducible Builds

Pin dependency versions, use lockfiles, generate checksums, tag releases (git tag v1.2.0).

CI/CD for Extensions

Automate builds: run linters, type checkers, tests on every PR. Cross-ref: docs/guides/ci-cd-pipeline.md

Contributor Guidelines

Create CONTRIBUTING.md with bug reporting, PR workflow, code style, and testing requirements.

Handling Forks

Track forks for attribution. GPL projects: forks must also be open source. Cross-ref: docs/guides/fork-policy.md

GitHub Actions for CWS Publishing

name: Publish to CWS
on: release
jobs:
  publish:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: npm install && npm run build
      - uses: mna/publish-chrome-extension@v1
        with:
          file-path: dist/extension.zip
          client-id: ${{ secrets.CWS_CLIENT_ID }}
          refresh-token: ${{ secrets.CWS_REFRESH_TOKEN }}

Cross-ref: docs/publishing/publishing-guide.md

Security: Responsible Disclosure

Create SECURITY.md with vulnerability reporting contact. Cross-ref: docs/guides/security-best-practices.md

Monetization with Open Source

Offer premium features, use extension as lead magnet, accept donations via GitHub Sponsors. Cross-ref: docs/publishing/monetization-strategies.md

Part of the Chrome Extension Guide by theluckystrike. Built at zovo.one.

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