URL Alchemist

Google Chrome: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/url-alchemist/ijonigkmhlokmdhcjcjinhpionfnjdeo

Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/url-alchemist/

URL Alchemist builds 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, conditional checks, or visible overlay events.

What it can do Clean tracking links, rewrite URLs, search selected text, launch from clipboard text, capture page title, page text, links, and metadata, fetch HTTPS remote data, show prompts, messages, images, videos, and sounds in page overlays, copy text or structured output, mutate page text when approved, and keep local per-pack logs.

Workspaces and Action Packs Workspaces are editable source files. They store the full block graph, trigger settings, metadata, compatibility notes, and saved editor viewport. Action Packs are optimized binary runtime files. Export a workspace when someone should inspect or edit the source; export an Action Pack when they only need the reviewed runtime package.

URL Alchemist also uses a versioned JSON workspace recipe internally to describe graphs to the bundled-example generator and the linked-model drafting flow. A recipe is a build and drafting protocol, not a third portable file type; users continue to exchange editable .workspace files and compiled .actionpack files.

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 highlights

• Visual workspace editor with drag-and-drop blocks, saved pan and zoom, recovery drafts, pop-out editing, variable declarations, and clear variable-use highlighting.
• Run on input data from URL, selected text, link URL, page title, clipboard, page text, page links, page metadata, and related sources.
• Trigger support for page input data, context menus, hotkeys, intervals, conditional runs, and event-driven overlays.
• String, regex, text transform, text split/join, URL query, list, dictionary, logic, math, loop, Substitution, Abort, SaveLoad, and shared-state blocks for building reusable workflows without custom code.
• 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, export log, clear log, and automatic log rotation.
• Local-first backup and restore for settings, workspaces, Action Packs, metadata, checksums, and builder identity.
• Editable provider-neutral AI workspace instructions with a built-in default and one-click restore. Custom instructions stay in local extension storage and manual backups; browser sync receives the default instead.
• Preview-first Ollama drafting that sends the editable guidance, machine-readable block and port catalog, and a recipe view of the eligible open graph only to a loopback endpoint. Redirects and oversized responses are rejected. Returned graphs must pass the fixed recipe parser, workspace validator, compiler and compiled Action Pack checks where applicable before review; the preview exposes derived risk, applicable permissions, sensitive behaviors, and the complete recipe JSON before Apply.

Built-in examples The curated Bundled and Examples galleries contain exactly these practical packs and source workspaces: Clean Share Link, Open GitHub PR Files, Search Selected Text, Copy Markdown Citation, Normalize Clipboard Text, Research Trail, Redact Emails for Screen Sharing, Fetch and Preview Text, Confirmed Webhook Test, 20-20-20 Break Reminder, Focus Sprint Timer, and Normalize Text Custom Block Source. Examples are never installed automatically; you choose whether to install a compiled pack or open and inspect the workspace source. The custom-block example is source for a reusable block rather than a standalone runtime pack.

Privacy and control URL Alchemist stores data locally by default. Profile 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 are 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.

Release packaging

From the repository root, run ./change_version.sh MAJOR MINOR PATCH after dependencies and tests are ready. The command records one shared build timestamp, regenerates bundled artifacts once per browser, builds both targets, and creates a Chrome .zip, Firefox .xpi, reviewer source .zip files, versioned source .tar.gz files, and SHA-256 manifests in the existing artifact directories. Set URL_ALCHEMIST_BUILD_TIME explicitly when a predetermined timestamp is required; otherwise the script captures one UTC value and stores it in both reviewer source archives so reviewer builds use consistent release metadata.

Version 2.7.1 delivers a denser, polished workspace editor with compact inline-labelled blocks, a deduplicated Block Library, smoother connection rendering, and connection-driven Logical Flow layouts. Logical Flow branches now auto-position adopted subtrees, expand from measured block bounds, keep shared merges outside branch regions, and move as one live composite while dragging. V1 .urlpack import/conversion and older V2 migration paths remain available.

• Workspace and Action Pack artifacts remain on schema 9; supported older V2 schemas are migrated before validation.
• Removed version-file export/update metadata from workspace and Action Pack metadata; old fields are stripped during migration and export.
• Added local-only install metadata for trust source, review status, logging, locks, install timestamps, checksums, and Focus Guard statistics.
• Added IndexedDB resource storage keyed by SHA-256, with resources excluded from sync and bundled into exported artifacts.
• Added Focus Guard for local content-blocker workspaces with block/allow rules, custom block pages, optional image resources, stats, and lock levels.
• Added per-pack logging toggles. Fresh installs default logging off; migrated existing packs keep logging on.
• Added local-only Ollama builder settings and editable provider-neutral workspace instructions. Drafting uses strict internal recipe JSON, a machine-readable authoring catalog, an eligible open-graph recipe, immutable validation, and explicit risk/full-JSON review before Apply; stale drafts are blocked and compatibility metadata is cleared after full graph replacement. Action Packs contain no runtime AI instructions. Content Blocker workspaces and graphs with embedded assets, local resources, or installed Custom Block dependencies are rejected rather than converted lossily.