electron-chrome-web-store

Install and update Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store for Electron.

Usage

npm install electron-chrome-web-store

[!TIP] To enable full support for Chrome extensions in Electron, install electron-chrome-extensions.

Enable downloading extensions from the Chrome Web Store

const { app, BrowserWindow, session } = require('electron')
const { installChromeWebStore } = require('electron-chrome-web-store')

app.whenReady().then(async () => {
  const browserSession = session.defaultSession
  const browserWindow = new BrowserWindow({
    webPreferences: {
      session: browserSession,
    },
  })

  // Install Chrome web store and wait for extensions to load
  await installChromeWebStore({ session: browserSession })

  browserWindow.loadURL('https://chromewebstore.google.com/')
})

Install and update extensions programmatically

const { app, session } = require('electron')
const { installExtension, updateExtensions } = require('electron-chrome-web-store')

app.whenReady().then(async () => {
  // Install Dark Reader
  await installExtension('eimadpbcbfnmbkopoojfekhnkhdbieeh')

  // Install React Developer Tools with file:// access
  await installExtension('fmkadmapgofadopljbjfkapdkoienihi', {
    loadExtensionOptions: { allowFileAccess: true },
  })

  // Install uBlock Origin Lite to custom session
  await installExtension('ddkjiahejlhfcafbddmgiahcphecmpfh', {
    session: session.fromPartition('persist:browser'),
  })

  // Check and install updates for all loaded extensions
  await updateExtensions()
})

Packaging the preload script

This module uses a preload script. When packaging your application, it's required that the preload script is included. This can be handled in two ways:

1. Include node_modules in your packaged app. This allows electron-chrome-web-store/preload to be resolved.
2. In the case of using JavaScript bundlers, you may need to copy the preload script next to your app's entry point script. You can try using copy-webpack-plugin, vite-plugin-static-copy, or rollup-plugin-copy depending on your app's configuration.

Here's an example for webpack configurations:

module.exports = {
  entry: './index.js',
  plugins: [
    new CopyWebpackPlugin({
      patterns: [require.resolve('electron-chrome-web-store/preload')],
    }),
  ],
}

API

installChromeWebStore

Installs Chrome Web Store support in the specified session.

• options
  • session: The Electron session to enable the Chrome Web Store in. Defaults to session.defaultSession.
  • extensionsPath: The path to the extensions directory. Defaults to 'Extensions/' in the app's userData path.
  • autoUpdate: Whether to auto-update web store extensions at startup and once every 5 hours. Defaults to true.
  • loadExtensions: A boolean indicating whether to load extensions installed by Chrome Web Store. Defaults to true.
  • allowUnpackedExtensions: A boolean indicating whether to allow loading unpacked extensions. Only loads if loadExtensions is also enabled. Defaults to false.
  • allowlist: An array of allowed extension IDs to install.
  • denylist: An array of denied extension IDs to install.
  • beforeInstall: A function which receives install details and returns a promise. Allows for prompting prior to install.

installExtension

Installs Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store.

• extensionId: The Chrome Web Store extension ID to install.
• options
  • session: The Electron session to load extensions in. Defaults to session.defaultSession.
  • extensionsPath: The path to the extensions directory. Defaults to 'Extensions/' in the app's userData path.
  • loadExtensionOptions: Extension options passed into session.extensions.loadExtension.

uninstallExtension

Uninstalls Chrome Web Store extension.

• extensionId: The Chrome Web Store extension ID to uninstall.
• options
  • session: The Electron session where extensions are loaded. Defaults to session.defaultSession.
  • extensionsPath: The path to the extensions directory. Defaults to 'Extensions/' in the app's userData path.

updateExtensions

Checks loaded extensions for updates and installs any if available.

• session: The Electron session to load extensions in. Defaults to session.defaultSession.

loadAllExtensions

Loads all extensions from the specified directory.

• session: The Electron session to load extensions in.
• extensionsPath: The path to the directory containing the extensions.
• options: An object with the following property:
  • allowUnpacked: A boolean indicating whether to allow loading unpacked extensions. Defaults to false.

[!NOTE] The installChromeWebStore API will automatically load web store extensions by default.

License

MIT