{
  "id": 14437400,
  "title": "Building an AI Writing Assistant Firefox Extension (Context Menu + Text Replacement)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/building-an-ai-writing-assistant-firefox-extension-context-menu-text",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-14T11:34:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/weatherclockdash/building-an-ai-writing-assistant-firefox-extension-context-menu-text-replacement-18ea"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "I developed an AI writing assistant for Firefox due to the tedious process of switching between browser tabs, copying text into ChatGPT, waiting for it to load, and then switching back. This tool adds a right-click context menu to any text field on any website. Users can right-click selected text and choose options like rewriting for clarity and flow, summarizing long content, expanding drafts, fixing grammar, or changing tone to professional, casual, or formal styles. The result replaces the selected text inline, eliminating the need to switch tabs or copy-paste.\n\nThis assistant is designed for everyday writing tasks, not for developers. Common use cases include remote workers drafting Slack messages and emails, students revising essays, non-native English speakers improving grammar, and anyone who wants a quick second opinion on a sentence without leaving their current task.\n\nThe extension utilizes Firefox's native context menu API to add a \"Rewrite with AI\" option to the right-click context menu. When a user selects text and chooses the rewrite option, the extension sends the selected text to an AI model for processing. The processed text is then sent back to the browser and replaces the original selection inline.\n\nPrivacy-wise, the AI calls go through a minimal proxy that removes identifiers before forwarding the text to the model. No text is stored, and the extension only has access to the text explicitly selected by the user and the activeTab permission. The extension works on standard text fields and contenteditable elements but does not function on canvas-based editors, iframes with cross-origin restrictions, Google Docs, or other extensions in the productivity set. It's free to use without requiring an account or subscription.",
  "summary": "I built an AI Writing Assistant for Firefox because I kept switching between browser tabs, copying text into ChatGPT, waiting for it to load, and then switching back. There had to be a better way. What It Does AI Writing Assistant adds a right-click context menu to any text field on any website. Select text, right-click, and choose: Rewrite — Improve clarity and flow Summarize — Condense long…",
  "key_points": [
    "Firefox extension adds AI writing assistant context menu to text fields",
    "Users can rewrite, summarize, expand, fix grammar, or change tone of selected text",
    "Privacy-preserving, no stored text or user account required"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}