Question 1

What is a .crx file?

Accepted Answer

A .crx file is a package format used by Chromium-based browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge to distribute browser extensions. It's essentially a ZIP archive with a special header containing the extension's files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and a manifest.json).

Question 2

What does this CRX viewer show?

Accepted Answer

This viewer attempts to parse the .crx file, locate the `manifest.json` within it, and display the content of the manifest. The manifest file contains crucial metadata about the extension, such as its name, version, permissions, and scripts.

Question 3

How do I use this viewer?

Accepted Answer

Click the "Open Local File" button to select a .crx file from your device. If successfully parsed, the content of its `manifest.json` will be displayed.

Question 4

Can this viewer install or run the extension?

Accepted Answer

No, this tool is only for viewing the manifest content. It cannot install or run the browser extension. That requires installing it through the browser's extension management system.

Question 5

What if the CRX file is corrupted or the manifest is missing?

Accepted Answer

The viewer will display an error message if it cannot parse the CRX file, if the CRX format is unexpected, or if the `manifest.json` file is not found within the archive.

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