Intro

Browser extensions are powerful tools that enhance your browsing experience. From password managers to ad blockers, they add essential features that many users rely on daily.


Like Slack and Discord, Horse is built with Electron - which currently doesn't support Chrome extensions. We're working to change that, not just for Horse, but for all Electron apps.


With password manager support in Electron, developers will be able to create specialized browsers for specific audiences and purposes - from education to enterprise - without compromising on user experience.

The Journey So Far

Initially, we considered maintaining our own custom version of Electron. This wouldn't be the first time - years ago, Brave Browser started as an Electron app but had to fork Electron (creating 'Muon') to support extensions. Because before Electron joined the OpenJS Foundation in 2019, getting major changes implemented was much harder.


But times have changed. An exciting opportunity emerged: an Electron maintainer submitted code that would enable password managers like 1Password in all Electron apps.


The community response has been incredible. In just three days, it became the most upvoted pull request in Electron's history! The enthusiasm caught the attention of the core team, and now the PR has been merged into Electron.


This is a huge win not just for Horse, but for the entire Electron ecosystem. Specialized browsers based on Electron like Horse and Polypane will soon be able to add password manager support without maintaining a custom fork.


With over 184 million users across apps like Slack and Discord already using Electron, this change could spark a new wave of innovative, purpose-built browsers for education, development, enterprise, and more.

Implementation Status

Done

Manifest v3 Support

Core extension manifest support implemented in electron-chrome-extensions
Done

Chrome Web Store Integration

Created electron-chrome-web-store for extension installation
Done

Preload API Redesign

Redesigned preload APIs to better support extension features
Done

Context Bridge Execution

Done

Service Worker Main

Implemented ServiceWorkerMain for extension background processes
Done

Service Worker Implementation

Implemented service worker support. Thanks to everyone who showed their support. Thanks to you,this was the most liked pull request in Electron's history! This is a huge milestone for the Electron ecosystem.
Pending

Electron 35 Release

This version contains the service worker implementation.
Blocked

Password Manager Support

Once Electron 35 is released, we can implement password manager support.
Blocked

Additional Extensions

Future expansion to more extension categories. No timeline yet.

Current Features

While extension support is in development, Horse includes several built-in tools:


Extension
Ghostery

The best adblocker for Electron apps, protecting your privacy and improving page load times.

Extension
Saddlepack

Built-in password manager designed specifically for Horse, offering secure credential management.

Extension
Dark Reader

Automatically generates dark mode for websites, reducing eye strain and improving readability.