Search tabs, page content, and commands.
++ Zero-dependency extension for open tab titles, deep page text, + and quick browser commands. Built with long nights and a lot of coffee. +
+Install the extension
+Load the unpacked package into Chrome and pin it to the toolbar.
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+
- + 01 + Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions + +
- + 02 + Enable Developer mode in the top-right corner + +
- + 03 + Click Load unpacked and select the extension folder + +
- + 04 + Pin the extension using the 📌 icon on the toolbar + +
- + 05 + Refresh the browser + +
Security & Privacy
++ Reef for Browsers is designed with privacy and security in mind. + All data processing happens locally on your device. + Nothing is uploaded to external servers. +
+ ++ No telemetry, no external APIs. + Reef does not send any page content, search queries, or usage data to external servers. + All indexing, search, and storage happens entirely within your browser. +
+Data Collection
+The extension collects and indexes the following data from pages you visit:
+Page Structure
+Headings (h1–h6), section text, breadcrumbs, and HTML selectors. Scripts, styles, and noscript tags are stripped before indexing.
+Actions & Form Fields
+Buttons, links, form inputs, and their labels. Field values may be captured and stored to support fill workflows.
+Media
+Image alt text, captions, video/audio titles, and transcript availability. Actual media files are not downloaded.
+Structured Data
+JSON-LD FAQ pages, article metadata, and descriptions parsed from structured markup.
++ Always excluded: Password inputs, payment fields, SSN fields, and elements matching your configured exclusion selectors. +
+Data Storage
+All data is stored locally using browser storage APIs:
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+
- IndexedDB — Compressed (gzip) search indices, cached page data, and site graphs. Stored under the extension's private origin. +
- chrome.storage.local — Settings, query history, popular queries, bookmarks, snippets, and notes. Up to 5MB+ with unlimitedStorage permission. +
- Memory — Active tab indexes, spotlight results, and cache (cleared on browser restart). +
Permissions
+The extension requests the following permissions and their justifications:
+-
+
- activeTab — Allows temporary access to the active tab to index content and execute user-initiated actions. +
- scripting — Allows injection of the content script to extract page content and interact with the DOM. +
- storage — Persists search indices, settings, and library data between sessions. +
- tabs — Lists open tabs and switches between them for the Spotlight search feature. +
- contextMenus — Adds right-click options for bookmarking, saving snippets, and adding notes. +
- unlimitedStorage — Allows storing large search indices without the standard 5MB quota. +
- host: <all_urls> — Injects content scripts on every website so pages can be indexed when activated by the user. +
Privacy Controls
+You have full control over what Reef accesses and indexes:
+Exclusion Selectors
+Define CSS selectors for elements Reef must never index or interact with. For example: .private, #secret-area.
Blocked Domains
+Completely disable Reef on specific domains. One domain per line. Useful for banking, healthcare, or internal sites.
+Destructive Action Confirmation
+Require explicit confirmation before executing actions like delete, remove, checkout, or submit order.
+Action Mode
+Set to "Navigate Only" to prevent Reef from clicking buttons or typing into fields. Only link navigation is allowed.
+How to Remove Your Data
+You can permanently delete all data stored by Reef:
+Clear Cache
+Removes all indexed page data from IndexedDB. Pages will be re-indexed on next visit if requested.
+Clear History
+Deletes all tracked search queries and popularity data from chrome.storage.local.
+Reset to Defaults
+Clears all settings, cached data, and library items. This cannot be undone.
+Uninstall
+Removing the extension from Chrome deletes all stored data including IndexedDB and chrome.storage.local entries.
+Security Considerations
+Be aware of the following security characteristics:
+-
+
- DOM Access — Content scripts run in the context of every webpage and can read/modify the DOM. +
- Form Values — Input field values may be captured and stored to enable autofill-type workflows. +
- Cookie Access — The extension's Agent layer can read cookies via the document API for session snapshots. +
- History Access — Tab titles and URLs are read to build the cross-tab search index. +
- Local Storage — The extension can read localStorage and make snapshots for session restoration. +
- History API Override — The extension overrides history.pushState/replaceState to observe route changes. +
- Cross-Origin Context — Content scripts inherit the origin of the page they run on within the extension's isolated world. +
Data Retention
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+
- Indexed Cache — Cached pages persist indefinitely until manually cleared or overwritten by newer versions. +
- Query History — Last 100 unique queries are retained for suggestion features. +
- Popularity Data — Per-query popularity counts are retained persistently. +
- Library Items — Bookmarks, snippets, notes, and recents persist until manually deleted. +
- Settings — Persist indefinitely in chrome.storage.local. +
Tab search
+Match titles and URLs across every open tab, instantly.
+Deep content
+Index headings, snippets, and form fields on the active page.
+Quick commands
+Duplicate, mute, or copy the URL of any tab from the keyboard.
+Frequently asked questions
+Yes. Indexing, search, and storage all run locally in the browser, so search still works without an internet connection.
+Indexing only happens on tabs you activate, and cached data is compressed with gzip to keep memory and disk usage low.
+Yes. Add CSS exclusion selectors or block entire domains from the settings panel, useful for banking or healthcare sites.
+Reef is built for Chromium-based browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Arc, using standard extension APIs.
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