URL Alchemist

Build URL, page, clipboard, and overlay workflows from visual blocks and portable Action Packs.

URL Alchemist for Chrome 2.0 URL Alchemist is a Chrome extension for building browser workflows from visual blocks. Create editable workspaces, compile them into portable binary Action Packs, and run those packs from page input data, hotkeys, context menus, intervals, or visible overlay events. What it can do Clean tracking links, rewrite URLs, search selected text, launch from clipboard text, capture page title or metadata, fetch HTTPS remote data, show messages and media in page overlays, copy structured output, and keep local per-pack logs. Workspaces and Action Packs Workspaces are the editable source files. They store the full block graph, trigger settings, metadata, and saved editor viewport. Action Packs are the optimized binary runtime files that Chrome executes. You can export either format: share a workspace when someone should edit the source, or share an Action Pack when they only need the reviewed runtime package. Safer imports Imported Action Packs are staged before install. URL Alchemist validates their schema, recomputes permissions and risk metadata, explains the compiled steps in plain language, and keeps the Confirm Import button locked until the pack is tested in the sandbox or explicitly reviewed. Action Packs cannot run imported JavaScript, eval, or downloaded code. Current Chrome 2.0 highlights - Visual workspace editor with drag-and-drop blocks, saved pan and zoom, recovery drafts, and pop-out editing. - Run on input data from URL, selected text, link URL, page title, clipboard, page text, page links, page metadata, and related sources. - Per-pack hotkeys recorded in the editor and matched by the content-script key listener. - Remote data and asset blocks with HTTPS-only validation, byte limits, timeouts, and private-network blocking. - Overlay-first interaction blocks for prompts, messages, image/video/audio display, input capture, keyboard events, mouse events, tick handlers, shared state, and grid drawing. - Debugging tools including trace, per-pack logs, Save string to log, Abort, and uninstalled-file audit. - Local-first backup and restore for settings, workspaces, Action Packs, metadata, and checksums. Built-in examples The Examples tab includes practical packs and workspaces such as Clean Campaign Links, Keep Stable Query, GitHub PR Files Shortcut, Search Selected Text, Clipboard Search Launcher, Remember Current Page, Copy Page Title, Debug Page Logger, Research Note Snapshot, Remote Text Fetch Preview, Remote POST Snapshot, Clean Words, Break Reminder, Playback Resume, Overlay Input Capture, and Snake Overlay Arcade. Examples are never installed automatically; you choose whether to install the compiled pack or open the workspace source. Privacy and control URL Alchemist stores data locally by default. Google Sync is optional and best-effort for small items. Clipboard access is optional. Local file navigation is disabled by default. Clipboard, raw page, remote request, page mutation, and overlay input behavior is surfaced as risk information before install. Build the browser workflows you actually need, inspect what they do, and keep control over how your tabs, URLs, page data, and overlays behave. URL Alchemist is open source under the GNU General Public License v3. https://github.com/gnaservicesinc/URLAlchemist Change Log: ############################################ Version 2.6 New Features / Changes ############################################ AI Connectors: -Rename user-facing “Local Ollama Builder” surfaces to “AI Connectors” in settings, draft UI, help, README, and reviewer notes. -Keep Ollama as the only connector in 2.6.0; keep existing ollama* storage keys for compatibility unless a migration is strictly needed. -Remove llama3.2 as a default model. Model selectors must only render models returned from /api/tags. -On refresh, if the saved model is absent, auto-select and save the first installed model. If no models are returned, clear/disable drafting and show a blocking message. Undo: -Add GlobalSettings.undoHistoryLimit, default 100, editor-session only, with a settings input allowing 0 to 10000. -Add an Undo button to the workspace surface toolbar and support Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z when focus is not in an input. -Undo covers workspace graph, block settings, metadata/config, add/delete/paste/connect/disconnect/move operations, and full logical-flow/custom-block edits. ---Exclude viewport/pan/zoom, popout state, tabs, import staging, and persisted backups. Block Tooltips: -Extend block definitions with concise description and optional tips. -Show descriptions in the block picker, quick/context menus, and existing help tooltips. -Make Condition Select explicit: it chooses between values and does not control which downstream side-effect blocks run; point users to Logical Flow for branch execution. Logical Flow Blocks: -Add a Logical Flow insertion action that creates one locked unit: a no-visible-output condition block, a flow-control block with input, true, and false ports, plus True and False visual branch containers. -Persist flow group metadata so condition/control/containers/branch contents lock, unlock, move, and delete as one unit. Deleting any part deletes the entire flow and contained branch blocks. -Branch containers expand from reachable branch nodes, support missing else branches, and use depth-based colors for nested flows. -Add VM/compiler support for real branch execution: only the selected branch subprogram runs, and side-effect blocks in the unselected branch do not run. Validate cycles per branch and roll branch risk/permissions into the parent pack. Custom Blocks: -Add workspaceType: "custom-block" plus custom-block metadata: stable block id, display name, --version, category, visible workspace types, tooltip/help text, typed inputs, typed outputs, and configurable fields with labels/defaults/tooltips/visibility rules. -Add custom-block interface nodes for declared inputs and outputs. Custom block workspaces compile to validated VM subprograms, never eval() or new Function(). -Add StoredState.customBlocksV2 for installed custom blocks. Installing happens only by compiling a custom-block workspace, not by importing arbitrary code. -Installed custom blocks appear in the block picker with a neutral “Custom” tag and an “open source workspace” link when the source workspace exists. -Exports embed referenced custom-block workspace snapshots and checksums. Imports prompt to install missing embedded custom blocks or leave the workspace disabled. Version conflicts offer update installed version or use the embedded version only for that workspace/action pack, retaining embedded versions for rollback/viewing. -Detect custom-block recursion/cycles, enforce existing VM safety limits, and propagate internal risk, permissions, compatibility, and browser warnings. Public Interfaces And Types -Bump WORKSPACE_SCHEMA_VERSION and ACTION_PACK_SCHEMA_VERSION from 8 to 9; keep 8 and older supported. -Extend WorkspaceType with custom-block. -Extend StoredState with customBlocksV2. -Extend WorkspaceFileV2 with logical-flow group metadata, embedded custom-block snapshots, and custom-block definition metadata. -Extend BlockDefinition with description/tips/custom metadata and add custom-block generated definitions at runtime. -Logical Flow no longer exposes a visible Condition input port. -Logical Flow condition is now internal: compiler uses the paired Logic block via logicalFlows. -New Logical Flow units no longer create the old Logic -> Condition edge. -Old stored LogicalFlow.condition edges are filtered from rendering/validation/compilation. -Branch boxes are pushed farther right to avoid overlap with the wider Logical Flow block. -Added Number to Bool converter. -Numeric values can connect directly to bool inputs; bool interpretation is now > 0 true, 0, missing, and negative false. -Copy/paste clipboard is lifted to the parent editor, so selected blocks can copy from one Content -Blocker surface and paste into another. -Clipboard now preserves selected Logical Flow group metadata and selected internal edges. -Added port tooltips for Data In and Content Data In outputs like URL, Link URL, Selection, Metadata, and Seconds. ############################################ Version 2.5 New Features / Changes ############################################ Added functionality to create workspaces for use in creating content blockers / focus guard along with Added a connector so you can use a local AI model to help build workspaces. Trust and warning UX: split technical risk from trust source. Bundled verified and user-created items show green status, modified bundled/imported show review status, and imported high-risk packs stay red until reviewed. Keep strict warnings in import/audit flows. Bundled/examples split: classify current built-ins into separate Bundled and Examples tabs, generate artifact hashes in the bundled index, verify bundled artifacts before install/open, and update help copy. Large resources: store resources once in IndexedDB, reference them from stored workspaces and installed Action Packs, and bundle bytes only on export. Use schema-7 streaming artifacts under existing .workspace/.actionpack extensions with WSPC2/ACTP2 magic, resource manifests, raw resource sections, SHA verification, quota checks, and graceful missing-resource runtime placeholders. Backups: add a resource-aware backup/export path for unlocked data; exclude resources from Chrome/Firefox sync. When any locked Action Pack exists, disable backup export, backup restore, and full reset UI. Logging: add Settings default for new Action Packs and per-pack logging toggles. Fresh installs default logging off; migrated existing packs keep logging on to preserve behavior. Run logs and SaveStringToLog entries are skipped when disabled; trace remains separate. Add V2 schema support for workspaceType: 'data-modifier' | 'content-blocker', WorkspaceGraphSurface, and content-blocker config. Bump the current repo schema by one version and migrate older schema versions, including current metadata.profile === 'content-blocker'. Data Modifier workspaces keep the current single React Flow surface, Run controls, URL Input Filter, Hotkey controls, current block registry, compile/export behavior, and V1 .urlpack conversion path. Content Blocker workspaces get three separate drag-and-drop surfaces: Page Load Decision, Recurring Check, and Challenge Page. Type is locked after selection and displayed as a read-only badge. ############################################ Version 2.0.5 focuses on security hardening. ############################################ - Hardened .workspace import validation and migration, including dangerous-key rejection, size/count limits, finite-coordinate checks, unsafe trigger-filter rejection, and stripping unknown source fields after validation. - Hardened overlay/hotkey runtime message validation and removed trust in message-provided tab IDs/URLs. - Added trusted-event guards for overlay pointer events and OverlayInput keyboard/mouse capture. - Added content-script caps for page text, raw HTML, and link reads. - Updated security help, bundled workspace compatibility metadata, manifests/package versions