1.4

New Features

• Explore Redirect: Block distracting /explore pages (trending, sports, etc.) by redirecting to bookmarks
  • Same smart snooze options as Home Redirect (15 min, 1 hour, 4 hours, until tomorrow)
  • Independent control - enable/disable separately from Home Redirect
  • Works on all explore sub-pages to keep you focused
• Better Interface Design: Cleaner, more intuitive popup experience
  • Extension icon now appears in popup header
  • Focus Features moved to top, Utility Features to bottom for better organization
  • Click anywhere on a setting row to toggle it (not just the switch)
  • Improved button colors and styling for better consistency

Improvements

• Enhanced Dialogs: More polished confirmation and snooze dialogs
  • Dialog titles now show which specific feature you're disabling
  • Centered buttons for better visual balance
  • Consistent button styling across all dialogs
  • Smoother hover effects without unwanted movement
• Visual Polish: Refined color scheme and spacing throughout
  • Subtle amber colors for focus features instead of bright yellow
  • Better visual hierarchy and improved readability
  • More consistent and professional appearance

Full Changelog: 1.3...1.4

1.3

Added

• Intentional Friction for Home Redirect Disable: Added thoughtful barriers to prevent impulsive disabling of the focus-enhancing home redirect feature
  • Confirmation dialog with productivity reminder when attempting to disable home redirect
  • 3-5 second countdown timer with cancel option before disable takes effect
  • Respectful, non-judgmental language in all friction mechanisms
• Smart Snooze System: Temporary disable options that automatically re-enable the feature
  • Snooze options: 15 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, until tomorrow
  • Real-time snooze status indicator in popup showing remaining time
  • Automatic re-enable when snooze period expires using chrome.alarms API
  • Optional notification when feature automatically re-enables
• Enhanced Popup Interface: Improved visual organization and user experience
  • Separated settings into "Utility Features" and "Focus Features" sections
  • Added section headers with icons (🔧 Utility, 🎯 Focus) for clear categorization
  • Enhanced visual hierarchy with better spacing, typography, and colors
  • Improved hover states and smooth transitions for better interaction feedback
  • Visual cues to distinguish between standard utility toggles and focus-oriented features
• Enhanced Storage Schema: Extended data model for friction and snooze functionality
  • Added snoozeEndTime field for tracking active snooze periods
  • Added disableAttempts counter for smart friction reduction
  • Added lastAttemptDate for daily attempt tracking
  • Maintained full backward compatibility with existing settings
• Robust Error Handling: Comprehensive fallback mechanisms for reliability
  • Safe storage operations with try/catch blocks and default fallbacks
  • Graceful degradation when friction features fail (allows normal toggle)
  • Timestamp validation to prevent invalid snooze states
  • Extension remains fully functional even if friction system encounters errors

Changed

• Home Redirect Toggle Behavior: Enhanced with friction mechanisms while preserving user autonomy
  • Standard utility features (Posts, Notifications) maintain immediate toggle behavior
  • Home Redirect toggle now triggers confirmation flow when disabling
  • Multiple disable attempts in same day will reduce friction after 3rd attempt
• Background Script: Extended to handle snooze timer management
  • Added alarm listener for reliable snooze expiration handling
  • Automatic re-enable functionality when snooze periods end
  • Enhanced storage management for friction-related data

Technical Implementation

• Implemented modal overlay system for confirmation dialogs and snooze options
• Enhanced popup.js with friction flow functions while maintaining existing architecture
• Used chrome.alarms API for reliable cross-session snooze timing
• Added visual section dividers and improved CSS styling
• Maintained lightweight extension architecture with minimal code additions

Full Changelog: 1.2...1.3

1.2

What's Changed

• Window to choose settings by @tavlean in #1
• Home/Feed Redirection by @tavlean in #2

New Contributors

• @tavlean made their first contribution in #1

Full Changelog: https://github.com/tavlean/Xtab/commits/1.2