Vivid Tab: A new tab, a new vibe.
A free, open-source new tab extension for Chromium and Firefox browsers with bookmarks, todos, notes, clock, quotes, and custom wallpapers — fully customizable to your workflow.
The Problem
Most new tab extensions that do this well charge a monthly fee for what should be a simple utility. I built Vivid Tab as a free, open-source alternative — starting as something I made for myself and eventually publishing it when it felt polished enough to share.
What I Built
Vivid Tab replaces your browser’s new tab page with a customizable dashboard. Built with React and Plasmo.
Bookmarks — The main feature. Instead of managing a separate list, Vivid Tab pulls directly from your browser’s existing bookmarks. You pick a root folder and manage everything from there — no duplication, no syncing needed.
Widgets — The dashboard includes a clock, todos, notes, and daily quotes. Every widget can be repositioned or hidden so the layout works the way you want it.
Wallpapers — Set a random wallpaper pulled from Wallhaven or upload your own.
The extension works on both Chromium and Firefox based browsers.
Technical Challenges
React and Plasmo were already familiar, so the learning curve wasn’t steep. The new part was working with browser APIs — understanding how to read and interact with browser bookmarks properly and use those APIs reliably across both Chromium and Firefox.
Results & Impact
Vivid Tab has around 100+ users across stores. It started as a personal tool, got published, and picked up a genuinely positive response. It’s free, open source, and available on GitHub at vividtab.jrtilak.dev.