Tampermonkey
Tampermonkey is a donationware[2] userscript manager that is available as a browser extension. This software enables the user to add and use userscripts, which are JavaScript programs that can be used to modify web pages.
Original author(s) | Jan Biniok |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Jan Biniok |
Initial release | May 2010 |
Repository | |
License | Proprietary (donationware) [1] |
Website | https://www.tampermonkey.net |
History
Tampermonkey was first created in May 2010 by Jan Biniok. It first emerged as a Greasemonkey userscript that was wrapped to support Google Chrome. Eventually the code was re-used and published as a standalone extension for Chrome which had more features than Chrome's native script support.[2] In 2011, Tampermonkey was ported to Android, enabling users to use userscripts on Android's internal browser.[3] By 2019, Tampermonkey had over 10 million users.[4] Tampermonkey is one of 13 extensions on the Chrome Web Store to have at least 10 million users.[5]
Chrome manifest V3
In January 2019, Biniok wrote in a Google Groups post that the new Chrome manifest V3 would break the extension. The new manifest would ban remotely accessed code which Tampermonkey is dependent on.[4] The userscripts use code that is created by developers not at Google, and instead is created by third-party developers at places like Userscripts.org and Greasyfork. This code is inserted after the extension is installed, however the manifest requires the code to be present at installation.[6]
Controversy
On January 6, 2019, Opera banned the Tampermonkey extension from being installed through the Chrome Web Store, claiming it had been identified as malicious.[7] Later, Bleeping Computer was able to determine that a piece of adware called Gom Player was installing it. They said that Opera blacklisting it was a "strange decision".[8]
References
- "License". Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- "Tampermonkey • Contribute". www.tampermonkey.net. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- Linder, Brad (4 June 2011). "TamperMonkey brings GreaseMonkey user scripts to Android". mobiputing. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
- Lawrence, Abrams (28 January 2019). "TamperMonkey May Be the Next Victim of Google's Chrome Manifest V3 Changes". BleepingComputer. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- "Breaking Down the Chrome Web Store". extensionmonitor.com. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- Bradshaw, Kyle (29 January 2019). "Chrome's Manifest V3 proposal would break Tampermonkey". 9to5Google. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- Venkat (5 January 2019). "Opera blacklists Tampermonkey extension, says extension is Malicious [Updated]". Techdows. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- Lawrence, Abrams (6 January 2019). "Opera Blacklists Tampermonkey Extension Being Installed by Malware". BleepingComputer. Retrieved 8 November 2019.