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The web browser platform Opera says it will continue supporting Manifest V2 extensions including the popular uBlock Origin after Google Chrome drops support.
The abandonment by Google Chrome comes as part of the company’s plan to phase out Manifest V2 extensions as they seemingly want to push software developers to adopt the Manifest V3 framework.
In response, Opera published a blog post stating the company plans to “continue supporting Manifest V2 extensions in Opera independently of what will happen to other browsers. This means that users of Opera’s browsers should expect to continue to use non-graded versions of their favorite ad blocker extensions.”
The company is built on the open-source code that powers Chrome, with changes in Chromium usually affecting Opera as well. Despite this, Opera is able to make their own modifications on top of the shared codebase.
The company writes: “While we want to be able to offer the best possible support, our focus will be on maintaining a safe and secure experience for users, both within our Add-ons Store and with extensions that come from outside sources.
“In the coming days and weeks, we will be reaching out to selected extension developers to determine the best and safest way forward.”
This means that people will continue to be able to use the extension uninterrupted, rather than having to switch to the more bare-bones version of uBlock Origin Lite.
What does Google Chrome’s axing of uBlock Origin mean?
The phase out began several months ago, in June, with users of the open source ad content blocker uBlock Origin now unable to use it through Chrome.
An X user, named Christoph Nakazawa, took to the platform to share a screenshot which states how uBlock Origin and two other extensions have been turned off in Google Chrome as they are no longer supported. The browser recommends they be removed.
After more than 15 years, it's time to switch browsers. I just want Chrome but without nefarious behavior by Google.
What Chrome-based browser would you recommend on macOS? pic.twitter.com/jvyrvCUfCo
— Christoph Nakazawa (@cpojer) October 14, 2024
uBlock Origin is an extension which is widely used, with 40,000,000 users listed on the Chrome Web Store.
Featured Image: via Opera blog post
