Nowadays, each web application must deliver optimal user experience across varying devices, platforms, browsers, and user conditions to keep the users engaged. While developing a website, you have to focus on its accessibility, functionality, performance, usability and security to increase both website traffic and conversion rate. At the same time, you also need to boost the user experience delivered by the website by using various plugins and extensions provided by major web browsers.
At present, Google Chrome is more popular than web browsers. The web developers also have option to modify and enhance the functionality of Chrome by using a variety of extensions and plugins. Despite having minimal user components, the extensions enable you to modify and extend the functionality of the websites viewing in Chrome without writing additional code. Also, the Chrome extensions and plugins help you to boost the user experience delivered by the web application without putting extra time and effort.
9 Must-Have Chrome Plugins and Extensions for Web Developers
1) Web Developer
The Chrome extension allows you to choose from an array of web development tools from a toolbar button added to the browser. The web development tools provided by Web Developer makes it easier for you to work with JavaScript, CSS, forms, images, layouts, and outline. You can take advantage of the tools provided by Web Developer to analyze the web pages and access the quality of code throughout the development process.
2) Responsive Web Design Tester
Responsive web design enables you to make the website look good on both computers and mobile devices with a single code base. But you still need to assess the user experience delivered by the website by evaluating its look, feel and accessibility across multiple devices. The Responsive Web Design Tester extension makes it easier for you to assess the behaviour of your website across many devices and browsers. As it reflects both screen size and browser of mobile devices, you can easily check mobile user experience delivered by the website.
3) Session Manager
Often users find it daunting to manage multiple tabs while writing web applications. The Session Manager extension simplifies browser tab management by saving the browsing state. A user can reopen a specific session immediately based on its browsing state. You can always consider using this Chrome extension to reopen the same web pages again and again without putting extra time and effort.
4) Clear Cache
While developing a website, developers are required to clear the cache frequently to evaluate the code. The Chrome extension enables you to clear cache directly from the toolbar. Also, you have option to decide the amount of cache you want to clear. Clear Cache allows you to decide about clearing useful information like passwords, form data, history, app cache, downloads and local storage.
5) JSONView
You have to put extra time and effort to read the JSON data on a web browser while working with RESTful APIs. JSONView simplifies the process of viewing and validating JSON documents. It even allows you to configure the JSON parsing method to view relevant sections on the JSON documents web font libraries. It further enables you to visualize the web page with varying font types without implementing the changes. Hence, you can keep previewing the page till you choose the right fonts.
6) Code Cola
In addition to being a CSS editor, the Chrome extension further allows you to see the source code of the web application as you keep coding. You can use Code Cola to make changes to the CSS style of the web page, and view the impact of the changes instantaneously.
7) Resolution Test
A large percentage of users nowadays access websites on their mobile devices. Hence, you have to focus on varying screen sizes and resolutions of devices to keep users engaged. Resolution Test makes it easier for you to test the look and feel of the website based on varying screen resolutions. It resizes the web browser to preview the website with specific screen resolution. Also, you have option to choose from a list of screen resolutions according to your specific needs.
8) Google PageSpeed Insights Extension
The loading speed of a website nowadays affects its user experience and search engine ranking directly. Hence, you need to determine the loading speed of each web page and explore ways to make the website load faster. The Chrome extension enables you to assess the loading speed of a web page based on PageSpeed score. Also, you can analyze various aspects of the PageSpeed score through the Insights developer console link.
9) Web Developer Checklist
While developing a website, a web application developer must follow a number of best practices to boost user experience and engagement. You must follow several best practices to enhance the website’s accessibility, load speed, usability, and search engine visibility. Web Developers Checklist enables you to identify all issues that may affect the website’s user experience adversely. The extension makes it easier for you to identify the problem areas in the website through notifications. Hence, you can easily repair all issues in the website during the development process.
On the whole, you have option to choose from many Chrome extensions and plugins according to the usage and requirements of each website. Also, you can create custom extensions and plugins for Chrome with HTML, JavaScript and CSS. But you must take advantage of various Chrome plugins and extensions to simplify and speed up web application development.
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