When Google takes down your custom extension for being a bit too powerful, you don’t give up—you pivot. Meet Magpie (initially developed under the name Sandpiper), the stripped-down, Web Store-compliant successor to Birdie.
A Shadow of its Former Self#
While Magpie is a stripped-down version of its predecessor, it still served its purpose. Without the ability to manipulate the client DOM or inject external script files directly, it was repurposed to safely read client page properties and scripts in a secure, read-only manner.
Though it lacks the original “hacky” power of Birdie, it allowed me to verify client configurations without triggering any security alarms or store policy violations.
Here are the screenshots of the compliant interface:
Over to You#
How do you handle strict store guidelines when building custom web extension tools? Have you had to cripple a project’s features just to get it published? Let’s talk in the comments below!