search-with-chatgpt-powered-by-openai-extension/README.md

# Search with ChatGPT Powered by OpenAI Firefox Extension

This extension adds ChatGPT as a configurable Firefox search provider. Type
`gpt <query>` in the address bar to open the query in a new ChatGPT session.
It uses no API key, custom server, or intermediary handler.

**ChatGPT may require you to sign in. If your prompt is not sent automatically,
press Enter or click Send in ChatGPT.**

This is an unofficial extension by Zavage Software.

- [Firefox Add-ons listing](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/search-with-chatgpt/)
- [Project website](https://zavage-software.com/portfolio/search-with-ChatGPT)
- [Project repository](https://git-repos.zavage.net/zavage-software/search-with-chatgpt-powered-by-openai-extension)
- [Feedback or report a bug](https://zavage-software.com/contact-us)
- [Zavage Software](https://zavage-software.com)

Anyone may use the extension free of charge, for any purpose. Republishing it,
sharing changed versions or reusing its code needs permission. You may read the
source, but it isn't open source. See `LICENSE.txt` for the full terms.

## Ask about selected text

Highlight text on a webpage, right-click it, and choose **Ask ChatGPT**.
ChatGPT opens with your selection. Try selecting a paragraph you want explained
or translated.

You can also press **Alt+Shift+G** to use the current selection. With nothing
selected, the shortcut opens a blank chat. Change the shortcut under
**Manage Extension Shortcuts** in the `about:addons` gear menu.

Click the extension’s **Ask ChatGPT** toolbar button to use selected text or,
with nothing selected, open a blank chat. On pages Firefox does not allow
extensions to read, the button opens a blank chat. You can pin the button to
the toolbar from Firefox’s extensions menu. It uses your saved prompt and
tab/window preferences, and works even when the right-click menu is Off.

The options panel's collapsed **Change the keyboard shortcut** section shows
your currently configured shortcut and refreshes when it changes or you return
to the panel. If you remove it, the panel shows
“No keyboard shortcut assigned”. Its **Change keyboard shortcut** button opens
Firefox’s shortcut editor when supported; otherwise follow the menu path above.
**Restore defaults** does not change your keyboard shortcut.

To customize the prompt, open **More options** and set **Prompt template** to something like
`Explain simply: {query}` or `Translate into Spanish: {query}`. The Simple menu action, Ask normally, toolbar button, and shortcut use your template.
Other advanced actions use their own dedicated prompts.

## Search keyword and default engine

Open Firefox’s **Settings → Search**, or paste `about:preferences#search` into
the address bar. Under **Search Shortcuts**, edit ChatGPT’s keyword to add
your own prefix; `gpt` keeps working alongside it. Under **Default Search Engine**, choose
ChatGPT to search without a prefix, or choose your previous engine to switch
back. See [Firefox’s search settings guide](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-your-default-search-settings-firefox)
for illustrated instructions.

These are Firefox settings; the extension’s **Restore defaults** button does
not change them.

## Options

Open `about:addons`, select this extension, and choose the **Options** tab
(**Preferences** on macOS and Linux). Available settings:

- **Right-click menu** — **Simple** (default) keeps the direct selection action;
  **Advanced** offers contextual presets; **Off** hides the menu. The toolbar
  button and keyboard shortcut work in every mode. Existing enabled/disabled preferences migrate
  to Simple/Off. Changes apply without restarting Firefox.
- **Show Translate in the Advanced menu** — off by default. When enabled, choose
  **Ask each time** for a language dialog, or enter a **Preferred language**
  to translate directly. An empty or invalid preferred language falls back to
  asking. Enter continues; Escape or Cancel opens nothing.
- **Open ChatGPT in** — a new tab, a new background tab, or a new window.

Under **More options**, which opens by itself once you have changed one of
them:

- **Prompt template** — wraps your text, for example `Explain simply: {query}`.
  Up to 1,000 characters.
- **Request a temporary chat** — asks ChatGPT not to save the conversation.
  ChatGPT may not honour this; check its own indicator before relying on it.
- **Ask ChatGPT to use web search** — a hint to ChatGPT's interface, not a
  guarantee.

Restore defaults resets extension preferences to Simple mode with translation
hidden; it does not change Firefox's search engine or shortcut settings.

In Advanced mode, selected text offers **Ask normally**, **Explain**,
**Summarize**, and **Debug code**. Translate appears only when enabled. The
extension does not try to detect code. A selected link uses selection actions;
without a selection, a link offers **Ask about this link** and **Review link
safety**. Page background offers **Ask about this page** and **Summarize this
page**. Link/page actions send only the URL. ChatGPT may be unable to access
its content, and a link review is not a guarantee of safety.

Long selections require confirmation before sending shortened text. Link URLs
are never shortened: unsupported schemes, embedded login credentials, and URLs
that cannot fit are rejected. The extension does not simulate submission; ChatGPT controls whether a URL
prompt is sent automatically or waits in the composer.

These settings apply to selecting text and choosing
**Ask ChatGPT** from the right-click menu, clicking the toolbar button, or pressing
<kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>G</kbd>. Rebind the shortcut under
**Manage Extension Shortcuts** in the Add-ons gear menu.

The `gpt <query>` address-bar search is unchanged and does not read these
settings.

The options panel, toolbar button, right-click item, and keyboard shortcut require
Firefox 112 or newer. On older versions the extension still installs and the
`gpt <query>` address-bar search still works; only these newer features are
inactive.

## Sending your prompt

The extension opens ChatGPT with the prompt in the URL. ChatGPT controls what
happens next: it may send the prompt automatically or leave it in the composer.
You may need to sign in before continuing. **If your prompt is not sent
automatically, press Enter or click Send in ChatGPT.**

If ChatGPT shows a verification error, try signing in and opening the prompt
again. Signing in has helped in testing, but does not guarantee automatic
submission.

The extension does not click Send, simulate Enter, or call ChatGPT's internal
conversation API. This behavior can vary with changes to ChatGPT itself.

## Browser Support

Firefox Desktop is the current development and release target. Chrome, Brave,
other Chromium browsers, and additional WebExtension platforms may be evaluated
after the Firefox feature set is more substantial; they are not current targets.

## Development

Install Node.js 22 or newer, Firefox, and the locked development dependencies:

```sh
npm ci
```

Available commands:

- `npm run dev` launches the extension in a temporary Firefox profile and
  reloads it when files change.
- `npm run lint` validates the extension and treats warnings as errors.
- `npm run test:unit` runs the `node:test` unit tests over `test/`.
- `npm run build` creates
  `web-ext-artifacts/search-with-chatgpt-firefox-<version>.zip`.
- `npm test` runs the same lint, unit test, and build checks used by Gitea
  Actions.

The generated ZIP is unsigned. Use `npm run dev` for local testing; signing and
submission to Mozilla Add-ons remain a separate release step.

Before submitting a change, confirm that `gpt <query>` opens
`https://chatgpt.com?q=<query>`, the provider remains non-default, and it can be
configured in Firefox search settings.

## Privacy Policy

This extension has no server, no API key, and no intermediary. Nothing is
reported to Zavage Software.

- Your settings are stored in your own browser profile. If you use Firefox Sync
  with **Add-ons** enabled, they sync end-to-end encrypted through your own
  Mozilla account.
- Selection actions, the toolbar button, and the shortcut place your selected text in the ChatGPT
  URL. Advanced link/page actions instead place the chosen link or current
  page URL in the prompt. URLs may include private query parameters or fragments;
  use those actions only for URLs you want to share with ChatGPT.
- The extension reads the selected text or relevant URL only when you invoke
  the action. It does not extract full page text, read page titles, or open a
  link itself for a safety check.
- Language and confirmation dialogs hold pending content in memory only, not
  in settings sync or persistent storage. Canceling sends no prompt to ChatGPT.
  Closing or restarting Firefox discards pending actions.

## Model selection

Model selection is not currently supported. We tested model URL hints while
signed in and signed out, but could not make them change the selected model.
Signed-out testing used Luna; signed-in testing stayed on GPT-5.6 Sol with
medium effort regardless of the requested model. We removed the model setting
rather than offer a control that did not work. Choose your model and thinking
effort in ChatGPT itself where available. Previously saved extension model
values are ignored.

Temporary chat did work in manual testing. Check ChatGPT's temporary-chat
indicator before sending; web-search hints remain unverified.