Choose an extension problem

A browser extension can observe or change browser behavior beyond an ordinary website. That extra authority must solve a real browser-shaped problem.

Page Notes will save a short note for the current page URL, show it in a toolbar popup, and optionally highlight the page. It does not need browsing history, every website at install time, or a remote server.

Start from the moment normal web code becomes insufficient. A website cannot add a toolbar action, read the user’s currently active tab after an extension gesture, or inject a packaged script into an unrelated page. Those are valid reasons for an extension. “It is easier to install” is not.

Define the authority budget beside the feature. Saving notes needs extension-owned storage. Reading the selected tab after the user opens the action can use activeTab. Highlighting needs scripting plus temporary access to that tab. None of these requires persistent access to every site or a backend that receives browsing data.

Also define where data stops. A full URL can contain private paths, search terms, or tokens in its query and fragment. Decide whether the note key should use the complete URL, remove the fragment, or normalize selected parameters. The safest answer depends on the product, but it must be explicit.

Write the journey from opening the toolbar action to saving and showing a note. For each step, name the extension context, permission, data read, data written, retention rule, and visible user gesture. Remove any capability that cannot be tied to a step.