Are Greasemonkey and Tampermonkey an Alternative to Browserextensions?

Because Browserextensions are not so easy to create, I wonder if Userscript running with the help of Greasemonkey (Firefox Extension) or Tampermonkey (Chrome and Firefox Extension) are better.

Let me share my findings:

Pro Userscript:

  • Tons of Userscript are available
  • Some Documentation is available but mostly not very recent
  • Easy to deploy on your local Browser (no App Repository necessary)

Cons Userscript:

  • No Debugging.
  • Limited or no access to the Browser itself.

 

Best Practice:

It seems to me that Browserextensions are more powerful, especially when you need:

  • Manipulate browser controls
  • Manipulate files
  • Do complex interaction between tabs or windows
  • Track complex data/states across sessions and domains.

And for me very, very important:

  • Debugging

How to:

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