Ask HN: Why create a browser plugin instead of a bookmarklet?

2 points by rufname 5 years ago | 4 comments

Why would somebody create a browser plugin, if the same functionality could be achieved with a bookmarklet? Are there advantages?

amadeuspagel 5 years ago |

I don't have the bookmarks bar visible by default, so bookmarklets are basically useless to me.

leephillips 5 years ago |

Good question. I use qutebrowser, which can run the equivalent of bookmarklets, but not plugins. One of the reasons I like it is that I can map any keys to invoke any script, including, but not limited to, javascript snippets.

pwg 5 years ago |

One possible explanation: the individual creating a plugin instead of a bookmarklet is unaware of bookmarklet functionality.

There are likely many other plausible explanations.

detaro 5 years ago |

Bookmarklets can't circumvent CSP policies (or at least couldn't always, not sure if this has changed), extensions can.