Installation

Get Tab Closer installed and configured in your Chrome browser

Installing Tab Closer

Tab Closer can be installed through the Chrome Web Store or manually loaded as an unpacked extension for development purposes.

Chrome Web Store Installation

1. Visit the Chrome Web Store

   Navigate to the Tab Closer extension page in the Chrome Web Store.

   This is the recommended installation method for most users, as updates will be automatically delivered.

2. Add to Chrome

   Click the Add to Chrome button in the top right corner of the extension page.

   Chrome will display a permission prompt showing the permissions Tab Closer requires:

   • tabs - To monitor and close tabs
   • storage - To save your preferences
3. Confirm Installation

   Click Add extension in the permission dialog to complete the installation.

   The Tab Closer icon will appear in your Chrome toolbar.

4. Pin the Extension (Optional)

   For easy access, click the puzzle piece icon in your toolbar and pin Tab Closer.

   This keeps the extension icon visible at all times.

Manual Installation (Developer Mode)

If you’re developing the extension or want to install it from source, follow these steps:

1. Download the Source Code

   Download or clone the Tab Closer source code to your local machine.

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd tab-closer
   

   Ensure you have all the necessary files:

   • manifest.json
   • background.js
   • popup.html
   • script.js
   • style.css
   • images/ directory with icon assets
2. Enable Developer Mode

   Open Chrome and navigate to the extensions page:

   chrome://extensions
   

   Toggle the Developer mode switch in the top right corner.

   Developer mode allows loading unpacked extensions. Only load extensions from sources you trust.

3. Load the Extension

   Click the Load unpacked button that appears after enabling Developer mode.

   Browse to the directory containing the Tab Closer source files and select it.

4. Verify Installation

   The extension should now appear in your extensions list with the Tab Closer icon and details:

   • Name: Tab Closer
   • Version: 1.0.1
   • Description: Chrome Extension to close all tabs you are not using.

   Manually loaded extensions will display a “Unpacked” label to distinguish them from Web Store installations.

Initial Configuration

Once installed, configure Tab Closer to match your preferences:

1. Open the Extension Popup

   Click the Tab Closer icon in your Chrome toolbar to open the configuration popup.

   The popup displays the following interface:

   <h4>Tab Closer Chrome Extension</h4>
   <div class="flipswitch">
       <input type="checkbox" name="flipswitch" class="flipswitch-cb" id="fs" checked>
       <label class="flipswitch-label" for="fs">
           <div class="flipswitch-inner"></div>
           <div class="flipswitch-switch"></div>
       </label>
   </div>
   <h5>Cantidad de Tabs permitidas (2+)</h5>
   <input type="number" class="css-input" id="tabsallow"/>
   <button class="testbutton" id="button">Save</button>
   
2. Enable Automatic Tab Management

   Toggle the switch at the top of the popup to enable or disable automatic tab closing.

   • Enabled (default): Tab Closer will automatically manage your tabs
   • Disabled: Tab Closer will not close any tabs

   The toggle state is saved using Chrome’s local storage API and persists across browser sessions.

3. Set Your Tab Limit

   Enter the maximum number of tabs you want to keep open in the number input field.

   Requirements:

   • Minimum value: 2 tabs
   • Must be a positive integer

   The validation logic ensures you maintain at least 2 tabs:

   function save() {
     const tabsallow = document.getElementById('tabsallow').value;
     if(tabsallow >= 2){
       chrome.storage.local.set({ fs: checkbox.checked }).then(() => {
         chrome.storage.local.set({ tabsallow: tabsallow }).then(() => {
           document.getElementById("labelverde").style.visibility="visible";
         });
       });
     } else {
       alert('La cantidad debe ser mayor que uno!')
     }
   }
   

   If you enter a value less than 2, you’ll see an alert: “La cantidad debe ser mayor que uno!” (The quantity must be greater than one!)

4. Save Your Settings

   Click the Save button to persist your configuration.

   A green “Saved!” confirmation message will appear when your settings are successfully stored.

   Your settings are stored locally and will be applied immediately. The background service worker will begin monitoring tab creation based on your configuration.

Verifying Installation

To confirm Tab Closer is working correctly:

1. Check the extension is enabled - Ensure the toggle in the popup is switched on
2. Set a low tab limit - Try setting the limit to 3 or 4 tabs for testing
3. Open multiple tabs - Open more tabs than your configured limit
4. Observe automatic closing - The oldest tabs should automatically close when you exceed your limit

Tab Closer uses a background service worker to monitor tab events. The service worker activates when tabs are created:

chrome.tabs.onCreated.addListener(function (tab) {
    chrome.tabs.query({}, function (tabs) {
        // Validation and tab closing logic
    });
});

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Closing Tabs

Possible causes:

• The toggle switch is disabled - enable it in the popup
• Tab limit is set too high - verify your configured limit
• Settings weren’t saved - click Save after making changes

Solution: Open the popup, verify your settings, and click Save again.

Cannot Set Tab Limit Below 2

This is intentional behavior. Tab Closer requires a minimum of 2 tabs to prevent closing all your tabs accidentally.

The validation is enforced in the save function at /home/daytona/workspace/source/script.js:9.

Extension Icon Not Visible

Solution: The extension may be hidden in the extensions menu. Click the puzzle piece icon in your toolbar and pin Tab Closer for easy access.

Settings Not Persisting

Possible causes:

• Storage permissions issue
• Browser storage quota exceeded

Solution:

1. Check that the extension has storage permissions at chrome://extensions
2. Try clearing browser storage and reconfiguring
3. Reinstall the extension if the issue persists

Manifest Configuration

Tab Closer is built with Chrome Extension Manifest V3:

{
    "manifest_version": 3,
    "name": "Tab Closer",
    "version": "1.0.1",
    "description": "Chrome Extension to close all tabs you are not using.",
    "permissions": [
        "tabs",
        "storage"
    ],
    "background": {
        "service_worker": "background.js"
    },
    "action": {
        "default_icon": {
            "48": "images/48.png"
        },
        "default_title": "Tab Closer",
        "default_popup": "popup.html"
    }
}

Manifest V3 is the latest version of Chrome’s extension platform, offering improved security, privacy, and performance compared to Manifest V2.

Next Steps

Now that Tab Closer is installed and configured, you can:

• Adjust your tab limit based on your browsing habits
• Toggle the extension on/off as needed for different workflows
• Experiment with different limits to find your optimal setting

Tab Closer works silently in the background. You can browse normally, and older tabs will be automatically closed when you exceed your configured limit.

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Remember: Tab Closer permanently closes tabs. Make sure to bookmark important pages or use Chrome’s “Bookmark All Tabs” feature before enabling aggressive tab limits.