Tab Killer Extension

Tab Killer is a Chrome extension that helps manage the number of open tabs by automatically closing inactive tabs after a set period. The extension allows users to whitelist specific websites, preventing them from being closed automatically.

Features

• Auto-close inactive tabs: Tabs that remain inactive for a user-defined period are automatically closed to free up browser resources.
• Whitelisting: Users can add specific URLs or domains to a whitelist, preventing those tabs from being closed even after being inactive.
• Customizable inactivity timeout: Users can set the time period for how long tabs should be inactive before they are closed.
• Manifest V3 Compliant: Uses modern Chrome APIs (chrome.alarms and chrome.storage.local) ensuring it runs efficiently without wasting background memory.

Installation

To install and run the extension locally, follow these steps:

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/TsarlinDomingo/tab-killer.git
   cd tab-killer

2. Open Google Chrome and navigate to the Extensions page:

   • Enter chrome://extensions/ in the address bar.

3. Enable Developer mode by toggling the switch in the top-right corner.

4. Click the Load unpacked button in the top-left corner.

5. Select the tab-killer directory where you cloned this repository.

6. The extension will now appear in your list of extensions, and its icon will be added to the Chrome toolbar.

How to Test and Debug

Because the extension runs in the background using a Service Worker and Alarms, here's how you can verify it's working properly:

1. Testing the Popup & Settings

• Click the Tab Killer extension icon in your toolbar.
• Set Timeout: Adjust the timeout period (e.g., set it to 1 minute for quick testing) and click "Save".
• Whitelist URLs: Enter a URL (e.g., youtube.com) and click "Add URL". Verify it appears in the list below.

2. Testing the Auto-Close Feature

• Open a few new tabs (some whitelisted, some not).
• Leave the tabs alone (do not click on them) for the duration of the timeout you set.
• Wait for the background alarm to trigger (it checks every 1 minute).
• Non-whitelisted tabs that have exceeded the timeout limit should automatically close.

3. Debugging the Service Worker

To see the background logs and verify the alarm is firing:

1. Go to chrome://extensions/.
2. Find the Tab Killer extension card.
3. Click the service worker link next to "Inspect views". This will open Chrome DevTools specifically for the background script.
4. Go to the Console tab.
5. You should see logs like Checking inactive tabs via Alarm printing every minute. You will also see Closing inactive tab: ... when a tab is forcefully closed.

Files in the Repository

• manifest.json: Defines the extension's permissions, background service worker, and metadata.
• background.js: Contains the background logic (alarms, storage tracking, and auto-closing logic).
• popup.html: The UI that allows users to manage the whitelist and set timeout values.
• popup.js: Handles the logic for interacting with the popup UI and saving settings to Chrome sync storage.

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to this project, feel free to fork the repository, create a new branch, and submit a pull request with your changes. Contributions are always welcome!

Roadmap

• Custom Notifications: Notify users before automatically closing a tab.
• Domain-based Whitelisting: Enhance the whitelisting feature to allow entire domains to be whitelisted instead of just specific URLs.
• Pause Feature: Allow users to temporarily pause the automatic closing of tabs.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.