plasmo vs wxt
Web Development Tools Comparison
1 Year
plasmowxtSimilar Packages:
What's Web Development Tools?

plasmo and wxt are innovative tools designed to enhance web development workflows, particularly in the realm of browser extensions and web applications. plasmo focuses on simplifying the creation of browser extensions with a framework that streamlines development, while wxt offers a unique approach to building web applications with a focus on real-time collaboration and dynamic content generation. Both tools cater to different aspects of web development, making them valuable for developers looking to enhance their projects with modern, efficient solutions.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
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Package
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plasmo84,71811,197179 kB30613 days agoMIT
wxt14,7045,763777 kB9714 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: plasmo vs wxt

Primary Use Case

  • plasmo:

    plasmo is tailored for developing browser extensions, providing a structured framework that handles common tasks such as manifest generation, content scripts, and background processes.

  • wxt:

    wxt is designed for creating web applications with a focus on real-time features, making it suitable for collaborative tools, live data applications, and interactive platforms.

Real-time Collaboration

  • plasmo:

    plasmo does not inherently support real-time collaboration features, as it is focused on browser extension development.

  • wxt:

    wxt excels in real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to interact with the application simultaneously, making it ideal for projects that require live updates and teamwork.

Ease of Setup

  • plasmo:

    plasmo offers a straightforward setup process for browser extension development, with clear documentation and examples to guide developers.

  • wxt:

    wxt provides tools and templates for quickly setting up web applications, but the complexity may vary depending on the features implemented.

Integration with Existing Projects

  • plasmo:

    plasmo can be easily integrated into existing browser extension projects, providing a modular approach that allows developers to adopt it gradually.

  • wxt:

    wxt is designed to integrate with modern web technologies, but its real-time features may require additional setup and configuration to work with existing applications.

Community and Support

  • plasmo:

    plasmo has an emerging community of developers focused on browser extension technology, with growing resources and support channels.

  • wxt:

    wxt benefits from a community of web developers interested in real-time applications, with resources available for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Code Example

  • plasmo:

    Simple plasmo extension example

    // plasmo.config.ts
    import { defineConfig } from "@plasmohq/cli";
    
    export default defineConfig({
      srcDir: "src/",
      manifest: {
        name: "My Plasmo Extension",
        description: "A simple browser extension using Plasmo",
        version: "1.0",
        manifest_version: 3,
        action: {
          default_popup: "popup.html",
          default_icon: "icon.png",
        },
      },
    });
    
  • wxt:

    Simple wxt app example

    // wxt.config.js
    module.exports = {
      app: {
        title: "My WXT App",
        description: "A simple web app with WXT",
        features: {
          realTime: true,
          collaboration: true,
        },
      },
    };
    
How to Choose: plasmo vs wxt
  • plasmo:

    Choose plasmo if you are specifically developing browser extensions and need a framework that simplifies the process, provides built-in features, and supports modern web technologies.

  • wxt:

    Choose wxt if you are building web applications that require real-time collaboration, dynamic content, and a more interactive user experience.

README for plasmo

plasmo logo

See License NPM Install Follow PlasmoHQ on Twitter Watch our Live DEMO every Friday Join our Discord for support and chat about our projects

English | 简体中文 | Tiếng Việt | Deutsch | French | Indonesian | Русский | Turkish | 日本語 | 한국어

Production Cloud: We've built a cloud offering for browser extensions called Itero. Check it out if you want instant beta testing and more awesome features.

Plasmo Framework

The Plasmo Framework is a battery-packed browser extension SDK made by hackers for hackers. Build your product and stop worrying about config files and the odd peculiarities of building browser extensions.

It's like Next.js for browser extensions!

CLI Demo

Highlighted Features

And many, many more! 🚀

System Requirements

  • Node.js 16.x or later
  • MacOS, Windows, or Linux
  • (Strongly Recommended) pnpm

Examples

We have examples showcasing how one can use Plasmo with Firebase Authentication, Redux, Supabase authentication, Tailwind, and many more. To check them out, visit our examples repository.

Documentation

Check out the documentation to get a more in-depth view into the Plasmo Framework.

Browser Extensions Book

For a more in-depth view into how browser extensions work, and how to develop them, we highly recommend Matt Frisbie's new book "Building Browser Extensions"

Usage

pnpm create plasmo example-dir
cd example-dir
pnpm dev

The road ahead is filled with many turns.

  • Popup changes go in popup.tsx
  • Options page changes go in options.tsx
  • Content script changes go in content.ts
  • Background service worker changes go in background.ts

Directories

You can also organize these files in their own directories:

ext-dir
├───assets
|   └───icon.png
├───popup
|   ├───index.tsx
|   └───button.tsx
├───options
|   ├───index.tsx
|   ├───utils.ts
|   └───input.tsx
├───contents
|   ├───site-one.ts
|   ├───site-two.ts
|   └───site-three.ts
...

Finally, you can also avoid putting source code in your root directory by putting them in a src sub-directory, following this guide. Note that assets and other config files will still need to be in the root directory.

Supported Browsers

To see a list of supported browser targets, please refer to our documentation here.

Community

The Plasmo community can be found on Discord. This is the appropriate channel to get help with using the Plasmo Framework.

Our Code of Conduct applies to all Plasmo community channels.

Contributing

Please see the contributing guidelines to learn more.

A big thanks to all of our amazing contributors ❤️

Feel free to join the fun and send a PR!

Plasmo Framework

Plasmo Examples

Plasmo Storage

Browser Platform Publisher

Disclaimer

Plasmo is currently alpha software, and some things might change from version to version, so please be mindful and use it at your own risk.

License

MITPlasmo