Get Tab URL from Page Action (WebExtensions, Android)
Introduction
This article guides you through the process of retrieving the URL of the currently active tab within a browser window using the Page Action feature of WebExtensions, specifically focusing on the Android platform.
Understanding Page Actions
Page Actions are small icons that appear in the browser’s toolbar when specific web pages are loaded. They provide an interface for your extension to interact with the active tab, allowing you to display context-specific functionalities.
Implementation
1. Manifest.json Configuration
“`json
{
“manifest_version”: 3,
“name”: “Tab URL Retriever”,
“version”: “1.0”,
“description”: “Retrieves the URL of the current tab.”,
“permissions”: [
“activeTab”
],
“background”: {
“service_worker”: “background.js”
},
“page_action”: {
“default_icon”: “icon.png”,
“default_title”: “Get Tab URL”
}
}
“`
– **manifest_version:** Specifies the WebExtensions version.
– **name, version, description:** Basic information about your extension.
– **permissions:** Requests permission to access the active tab.
– **background:** Specifies the background script to run when the extension is installed.
– **page_action:** Defines the Page Action, including its icon and title.
2. Background Script (background.js)
“`javascript
browser.pageAction.onClicked.addListener((tab) => {
browser.tabs.query({ active: true, currentWindow: true }, (tabs) => {
const currentTab = tabs[0];
console.log(`Current tab URL: ${currentTab.url}`);
});
});
“`
– **browser.pageAction.onClicked.addListener:** Adds a listener to the Page Action’s click event.
– **browser.tabs.query:** Fetches the active tab in the current window.
– **currentTab.url:** Extracts the URL of the active tab.
3. Running the Extension
– Install the extension in your Android browser that supports WebExtensions.
– Open a webpage.
– The Page Action icon will appear in the toolbar.
– Clicking the icon will trigger the code, and the URL will be printed in the browser’s console.
Example
Suppose the user is currently browsing https://www.example.com. Clicking the Page Action icon will print:
“`
Current tab URL: https://www.example.com
“`
Key Points
– This example demonstrates a simple Page Action that retrieves the URL of the active tab.
– You can adapt this code to implement various functionalities triggered by the Page Action, such as:
– Navigating to a specific URL.
– Injecting content scripts into the active tab.
– Modifying the active tab’s contents.
Comparison with Other Methods
| Method | Description | Android Support |
|—|—|—|
| Page Action | Provides an interface for interacting with the active tab | Yes |
| Content Script | Executes JavaScript code within the context of the active tab | Yes |
| Message Passing | Enables communication between background scripts and content scripts | Yes |
| Tab API | Offers a range of methods for managing and interacting with tabs | Yes |
Conclusion
Utilizing Page Actions, you can effortlessly retrieve the URL of the active tab and implement various functionalities based on this information. This technique empowers your WebExtensions to provide a rich user experience on Android devices.