FocusTube: Distraction Blocker

Stop Doomscrolling. Reclaim Your Focus.

Blocks YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Reels.

Installation • Features • Configuration • Technical Details

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FocusTube is a Manifest V3 browser extension designed to stop doomscrolling in its tracks. Unlike basic element blockers, it uses Session-Aware Logic to handle modern Single Page Applications (SPAs), ensuring that distractions remain blocked even as you navigate, without breaking the rest of the site.

Features

Behavioral Intervention

Strict Mode: Blocks distracting surfaces; redirects or overlays to keep you out.
Warn Mode: Shows an interstitial; you must click “Watch Anyway” to proceed.
Passive Mode: No blocking, but hides visual traps (Shorts/Reels tabs) to reduce rabbit holes.

Visual Cleaning

YouTube: Hide Shorts button and Shorts shelves.
Instagram: Hide Reels tab, explore, stories, and feed reels (toggleable).
Facebook: Hide Reels nav link and stories.

Productivity Tools

Customizable Timer: Built-in Focus/Break timer with auto-lock of mode switches while active.
Dashboard: Tracks “Shorts Blocked” and “Time Saved.”

Installation

Official Stores

Microsoft Edge: Download from Edge Add-ons (v2.1.0)
Firefox Add-ons: Download from Firefox Add-ons (v2.1.0)
Chrome Web Store: Download from Chrome Web Store (v2.1.0)

Manual Installation (Developer Mode)

Clone or Download this repository.
Pick Manifest:
- Chrome/Edge/Brave: Rename chrome-manifest.json to manifest.json.
- Firefox: Use the provided manifest.json.
Load Extension:
- Chrome/Edge: Go to chrome://extensions → Enable Developer Mode (top right) → Click Load unpacked → Select the folder.
- Firefox: Go to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox → Click Load Temporary Add-on... → Select the manifest.json file.

Configuration

Click the extension icon to access the Control Center:

Master Toggle: Global On/Off (Locked during active Timer).
Platform Cards: Click to expand and configure modes (Strict/Soft/Passive) for each site.
Settings (⚙️): Click the gear icon to access the Options Dashboard for timer customization and data management.

Technical Details

Architecture: Manifest V3 with modular content scripts (Split Architecture).
Performance: Uses MutationObserver and requestAnimationFrame for responsive, low-overhead DOM manipulation.
Compatibility: Cross-browser support for Chromium (Chrome, Edge, Brave) and Gecko (Firefox).
Privacy: 100% Local. No analytics, no tracking, no external servers.

Privacy Policy

FocusTube is a privacy-first, open-source project.

No Data Collection: This extension does not collect, store, transmit, or sell any user data.
Local Storage: All preferences (timer settings, stats, active modes) are stored locally on your device using the browser's storage.local API.
No Analytics: We do not use Google Analytics or any third-party tracking scripts.
No External Servers: The extension does not communicate with any external servers.

License

MIT

FocusTube

Install / Use

README