{"slug": "i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks", "title": "I Built a Chrome Dictionary Extension in 2 Weeks:", "summary": "A developer built a Chrome dictionary extension in two weeks using the Free Dictionary API, publishing it to the Chrome Web Store and expanding to Firefox, Opera, and Brave. The extension, which is about 50KB and works offline, allows users to right-click any word to see its definition in a clean popup. The developer learned that publishing prep took longer than coding, and advises using Manifest v3 for new extensions.", "body_md": "*TL;DR: Shipped a Chrome extension that fetches word definitions from a free API,\npublished to Chrome Web Store, and now expanding to Firefox, Opera, and Brave.\nHere's what I learned.*\n\nI spend a lot of time reading articles and documentation online. Sometimes I\n\nencounter words I want to quickly understand without losing my flow. Most\n\ndictionary extensions either clutter your toolbar or charge money.\n\nSo I decided to build one myself.\n\nThis wasn't meant to be a unicorn idea. It was meant to be **useful, small,\nand shippable**. A perfect learning project for understanding Chrome extensions,\n\n**Total size**: ~50KB. No dependencies. Runs offline once loaded.\n\nRight-click any word → \"Look up in Dictionary\" appears → Popup shows definition\n\nSimple. Works everywhere.\n\nClean popup showing:\n\nDeep blue background, white text. Distraction-free.\n\nUsed [Free Dictionary API](https://dictionaryapi.dev/) for data:\n\n**Why this over OpenAI/Anthropic?** For this use case, simplicity + reliability >\n\nadvanced features.\n\nThis is where it got interesting.\n\n**What I learned**: Building took 1 week. Publishing prep took another week.\n\nThe tricky part wasn't the code—it was getting the screenshots right, writing\n\na description that passes Google's guidelines, and understanding what \"sensitive\n\npermissions\" mean.\n\nFirefox is stricter about privacy. They literally ask: *\"Does your extension\ncollect user data?\"*\n\nHonest answer: No. This extension doesn't store anything.\n\nResult: Approved in 2 days.\n\nThe extension logic? A few hours. Getting it published to 4 stores? A week.\n\nScreenshot requirements, description length limits, icon sizing, privacy policies\n\nfor each store—it adds up. Plan accordingly.\n\nManifest v2 (older standard) is deprecated. Manifest v3 forces better practices\n\n(no inline scripts, explicit permissions). Learn v3 from the start if building\n\nextensions in 2026+.\n\nThe Free Dictionary API has been running for years with zero cost. For side\n\nprojects, this is perfect. You avoid vendor lock-in and zero payment friction.\n\nMost people never click toolbar icons. But everyone right-clicks. This one design\n\ndecision probably increased discoverability 10x.\n\n**v1.1** (coming this week):\n\n**Long-term ideas**:\n\nBut I'm shipping v1.1 first and waiting for user feedback before going further.\n\nHere's my advice:\n\n✅ **Do**:\n\n❌ **Don't**:\n\nThis wasn't about building the world's best dictionary. It was about:\n\nThat's worth more than any feature.\n\n**For you**: If you've been thinking about building a browser extension,\n\nthis is your sign. It's easier than you think.\n\n**For me**: Next up is a stock announcement tracker for Indian markets (Q3 goal).\n\nSimilar journey: ship → iterate → publish.\n\nWant to try the extension? [Get it on Chrome Web Store](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/english-dictionary/lkimphibmbmlcmoepjcehlngobhfbfeb?utm_source=item-share-cb)\n\nWhat's your first browser extension idea? Drop it in the comments. 👇\n\n**Tags**: #ChromeExtension #WebDevelopment #IndieHacking #Shipping", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks", "canonical_source": "https://dev.to/shanbasu/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks-4k39", "published_at": "2026-07-12 06:03:51+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-12 06:44:41.806046+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["developer-tools"], "entities": ["Free Dictionary API", "Chrome", "Firefox", "Opera", "Brave"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/i-built-a-chrome-dictionary-extension-in-2-weeks.jsonld"}}