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VidQuery - YouTube Q&A Extension

extensionLast commit

Chromium extension that adds Gemini-powered Q&A to YouTube using visible video metadata, transcripts, and the user's own API key.

Open productSource
Role
Product design and browser-extension engineering
Scope
Browser integration, provider workflows, and privacy
Status
GitHub release available
VidQuery - YouTube Q&A Extension interface preview

Problem

Viewers must scrub long YouTube videos to find specific answers even when the page already exposes metadata and a transcript.

Constraints

  1. C1

    Answers are limited by transcript availability and quality.

  2. C2

    Gemini calls require the user's own API key and send bounded video context to an external provider.

  3. C3

    YouTube route/DOM changes and extension permission boundaries can break extraction.

Architecture

YouTube content extraction; React extension UI and request state; validated transcript/context envelope and Gemini adapter; browser storage/permissions plus release-built Manifest V3 package. The companion web app documents and distributes the product.

01

Page integration

YouTube content extraction.

02

Extension interface

React extension UI and request state.

03

Provider boundary

Validated transcript/context envelope and Gemini adapter.

04

Storage and delivery

Browser storage/permissions plus release-built Manifest V3 package. The companion web app documents and distributes the product.

Decisions

D1

Use visible page metadata/transcripts

Use visible page metadata/transcripts rather than downloading or processing media.

D2

Keep API credentials user-supplied

Keep API credentials user-supplied instead of operating a shared proxy, trading onboarding friction for a smaller service/data boundary.

D3

Separate extension and website workspaces

Separate extension and website workspaces so product runtime and public documentation can ship independently.

Contribution

  • Built YouTube route detection and transcript/metadata extraction.
  • Implemented Gemini-backed question answering with schema validation and bounded context.
  • Added local credential/settings handling and explicit privacy guidance.
  • Created release automation and extension/web quality gates.

Outcomes

  • Users can ask questions about an open YouTube video.
  • Answers can use available transcript and visible metadata.
  • Users control their own provider credential.
  • Maintainers can produce installable GitHub release artifacts.

Product screenshot

VidQuery - YouTube Q&A Extension interface preview
VidQuery - YouTube Q&A Extension presents chromium extension that adds Gemini-powered Q&A to YouTube using visible video metadata, transcripts, and the user's own API key.

Verified stack

  • WXT
  • TypeScript
  • React 19
  • Chrome Manifest V3
  • Chrome Extensions API
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Gemini API
  • Zod
  • TanStack Start
  • Vitest
  • React Testing Library
  • GitHub Actions
  • CI/CD
  • Git
  • System Design

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