4 ms·

Browser extension (Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Edge) to redirect URLs based on regex

100 points by Bluestein 1y ago

purpleidea 1y ago
I've used this before, but the biggest missing feature is a compendium of built-in common fixes, like removing the &si= tracker junk off of youtube links, and so on...
- dmit 1y ago
  Or these, which have their own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTM_parameters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTM_parameters
- ftk_ 1y ago
  If you have uBlock Origin installed you can enable URL tracking protection filter list or write your own filters `$removeparam=<tracker param>`.
- schiffern 1y ago
  This is the "God-like powers" extension. The "set it and forget it" extension is called ClearURLs. There's also Request Control, which is probably what you're looking for. More powerful than Redirector actually, but it comes with some common rules built in (not as comprehensive as ClearURLs though). https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon https://github.com/slymax/request-control https://github.com/slymax/request-control
rdmuser 1y ago
Sadly late 2021 the original dev passed away. Someone has taken over stewardship of the project but it is currently moving slowly and they are seeking more contributors (javascript skills are a plus). He was a bit of a hn user and seemed good natured and pleasant. Though I didn't know him I was sad to hear he'd passed both as a Redirector user and a fan of good people doing good things. I know he'd mentioned being happy to get recognition on here. https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=einaregilsson https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=einaregilsson I really enjoyed the original devs write up on creating an easter egg specifically targeting Mark Hamills avatar in game. https://einaregilsson.com/an-easter-egg-for-one-user-luke-skywalker/ https://einaregilsson.com/an-easter-egg-for-one-user-luke-sk... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30715746 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30715746
- Bluestein 1y ago
  Really sad to hear.-
- rdmuser 1y ago
  Oups linked the wrong hn thread about that easter egg. Here is the one that got a bunch of attention back in 2017: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653017 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653017
- out-of-ideas 1y ago
  for firefox, i use `request-interceptor` ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/request-interceptor/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/request-inter... ) though sadly it has not had an update in a while (a dark mode would be great) (and rarely, a page-url match does not always match a request-rule where i believe some javahell shinanigans take over and somehow get their way)
- nilslindemann 1y ago
  I have just installed this tool to redirect Reddit, as it today started to block me (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41411226 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41411226). I like the feedback which the Add-on gives when adding a new redirection. Dead dev, you left a useful tool behind.
hexage1814 1y ago
I use it all the time, pretty handy. Sadly, as people mentioned the original developer passed away and the community needs help, especially to port to manifest V3.
- bonki 1y ago
  Curious, what are you using it for? Do you have a few examples?
  - hexage1814 1y ago
    For instance, I use to: redirect new reddit site to old.reddit.com I keep a blog on wordpress.com, but I really dislike their new blog admin interface, but the interface one can still be accessed , so I redirect to there to edit my posts on the old interface I use some alternative front-ends, like imginn.com, which is alternative front-end to instagram, so I set to redirect links there. This sort of thing.
  - Narishma 1y ago
    Mobile Wikipedia to normal Wikipedia.
  - hadrien01 1y ago
    Redirects from translated versions of Google or Microsoft documentation to the English one. The Microsoft ones are okay-ish but I strongly prefer reading the original version. And the Google ones are a patchwork of machine-translated nonsense, "powered by Google Cloud Translation API"
amitizle 1y ago
Not to be that guy but sounds like a vulnerability waiting to happen
- Bluestein 1y ago
  There seems to almost always be a tradeoff between how useful a piece of software potentially is, and how vulnerable, as in, how much of a desirable target ...
- lupusreal 1y ago
  That's why I bricked up all of my windows. Glass is just too easy to break.
- shaunpud 1y ago
  Please explain
snthd 1y ago
The discontinued HTTPS Everywhere is the same thing, just that it came with a default https flavoured ruleset.
LargoLasskhyfv 1y ago
There is also https://libredirect.github.io https://libredirect.github.io
- aspenmayer 1y ago
  Also available from same dev on a non-GH host: https://libredirect.codeberg.page/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/
curtisszmania 1y ago
[dead]
DimitriBouriez 1y ago
The extension is no longer available on Chrome. So, I am looking for a way to automatically redirect x.com to xcancel.com
- aspenmayer 1y ago
  https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/
  - MallocVoidstar 1y ago
    This is also a MV2 extension and therefore also not available on Chrome.
    - aspenmayer 1y ago
      It is available for Chromium, though. https://libredirect.github.io/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.github.io/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.codeberg.page/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.codeberg.page/download_chromium.html
      - MallocVoidstar 1y ago
        Chrome has disabled support for MV2 extensions (unless you set an enterprise policy) and is entirely removing support for MV2 extensions in v139: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate... It releases in August.
        aspenmayer 1y ago
        Ok.
        anonym29 1y ago
        You're welcome to quit using spyware as your primary browser if you're dissatisfied with the spyware's treatment of your rights as a user. If you choose not to, you should probably cede the right to complain about problems solved with MV2 extensions, since those problems are now self-inflicted.
nileshtrivedi 1y ago
I find it annoying when people share direct URLs to PDFs at arxiv.org instead of the the abstract. However, if I were to use a redirect extension like this one, then my own click on the PDF link would get redirected back to the abstract page. To handle this, the redirect rule needs to consider the referer page too, with a possible exception if the referer is the same site as the destination.
- mook 1y ago
  For something like that, on Android I find it fine to install the URL Forwarder app from F-droid and share the link to the app. That way you opt-in to the modification (I use it to load things with Archive.today from HN).
- godelski 1y ago
  Dear god... this is a major pet peeve of mine. I frequently open the links on my phone and the pdf just eats data and results in a terrible reading experience. The reason I open on my phone is because I find via places like HN, Twitter, Bsky, read the abstract, and then send the link back to my computer for later reading (Firefox send tabs). 99.9% of the time I do not want the pdf...
- imurray 1y ago
  I wrote firefox and chrome extensions that do exactly what you want: Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/redirectify/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/redirectify/ Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redirectify/mhjmbfadcbhilcfdhkkepffbnjaghfie https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redirectify/mhjmbf... Source: https://github.com/imurray/redirectify https://github.com/imurray/redirectify Sadly I never got around to making it configurable, so it's just a fixed table of rules for a handful of journal and pre-print sites.
altairprime 1y ago
Safari users, Redirect Web is in the app store for this.
faoioifdaoifds 1y ago
[dead]
kmfrk 1y ago
Been using this for a long time, and it's fantastic. I also found out that Kagi (the paid search engine) supports rewriting results, which is probably where you'll see a lot of the links you follow.[1] For instance, if you get some Fandom results, you can change them to antifandom that is part of the BreezeWiki project[2], if you so prefer: https://forgottenrealms.antifandom.com https://forgottenrealms.antifandom.com. [1]: https://kagi.com/settings/?p=redirects https://kagi.com/settings/?p=redirects [2]: https://antifandom.com https://antifandom.com
- Bluestein 1y ago
  > Kagi (the paid search engine) supports rewriting results This is such a value-add! Pretty smart guys.-
- neodymiumphish 1y ago
  I’m a Kagi subscriber and didn’t know about this… thanks!!
userbinator 1y ago
I use a filtering proxy to do this. Much more control, and as someone who regularly uses several browsers simultaneously, no need to configure each one separately.
- Bluestein 1y ago
  There used to be this nice proxy-thing for windows called the "Proxomitron" (or such), peculiar one-eyed pyramid icon and everything! Wonder if it's still around. Been a while.-
  - userbinator 1y ago
    That's what I use.
    - Bluestein 1y ago
      Still around! :)
godelski 1y ago
The first example makes me wonder: why is Wikipedia so... bad? It can redirect mobile users to the mobile site but still serves desktop users the mobile site. Why is this reverse direction so hard? What the fuck is up with the light/dark theme feature? I'm really happy they implemented it, but why is the default 'skin-theme-clientpref-day' (light theme)? Shouldn't the default be 'skin-theme-clientpref-os' (automatic)? What's the point of having "automatic" if it isn't... you know... automatic? It's literally a one liner (setting default value). Am I missing something much more nuanced? I see stuff like this all the time, not just on Wiki. Stuff drives me nuts. Just adds needless extra work. I know it is kinda petty to complain about having to click an extra button or two, but I thought the whole point of programming was to automate stuff. Hell, how often do we automate stuff that doesn't need to be lol. Isn't the classic programmer problem that we spend more time automating and optimizing than would be saved by the automation? I mean the theme issue is 5 seconds of work and saves a billion users 2 seconds, each. That one seems worth it if there isn't some other issue.
Argonaut998 1y ago
All of this can be done with a simple script for Tamper/Grease/Violentmonkey if you don’t want to install an extension or are concerned about it not being supported in Manifest V3

100 points by Bluestein 1y ago

I've used this before, but the biggest missing feature is a compendium of built-in common fixes, like removing the &si= tracker junk off of youtube links, and so on...

dmit 1y ago
Or these, which have their own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTM_parameters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTM_parameters
ftk_ 1y ago
If you have uBlock Origin installed you can enable URL tracking protection filter list or write your own filters `$removeparam=<tracker param>`.
schiffern 1y ago
This is the "God-like powers" extension. The "set it and forget it" extension is called ClearURLs. There's also Request Control, which is probably what you're looking for. More powerful than Redirector actually, but it comes with some common rules built in (not as comprehensive as ClearURLs though). https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon https://github.com/slymax/request-control https://github.com/slymax/request-control

rdmuser 1y ago

Sadly late 2021 the original dev passed away. Someone has taken over stewardship of the project but it is currently moving slowly and they are seeking more contributors (javascript skills are a plus). He was a bit of a hn user and seemed good natured and pleasant. Though I didn't know him I was sad to hear he'd passed both as a Redirector user and a fan of good people doing good things. I know he'd mentioned being happy to get recognition on here. https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=einaregilsson https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=einaregilsson I really enjoyed the original devs write up on creating an easter egg specifically targeting Mark Hamills avatar in game. https://einaregilsson.com/an-easter-egg-for-one-user-luke-skywalker/ https://einaregilsson.com/an-easter-egg-for-one-user-luke-sk... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30715746 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30715746

Bluestein 1y ago
Really sad to hear.-
rdmuser 1y ago
Oups linked the wrong hn thread about that easter egg. Here is the one that got a bunch of attention back in 2017: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653017 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653017
out-of-ideas 1y ago
for firefox, i use `request-interceptor` ( https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/request-interceptor/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/request-inter... ) though sadly it has not had an update in a while (a dark mode would be great) (and rarely, a page-url match does not always match a request-rule where i believe some javahell shinanigans take over and somehow get their way)
nilslindemann 1y ago
I have just installed this tool to redirect Reddit, as it today started to block me (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41411226 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41411226). I like the feedback which the Add-on gives when adding a new redirection. Dead dev, you left a useful tool behind.

hexage1814 1y ago

I use it all the time, pretty handy. Sadly, as people mentioned the original developer passed away and the community needs help, especially to port to manifest V3.

bonki 1y ago
Curious, what are you using it for? Do you have a few examples?
- hexage1814 1y ago
  For instance, I use to: redirect new reddit site to old.reddit.com I keep a blog on wordpress.com, but I really dislike their new blog admin interface, but the interface one can still be accessed , so I redirect to there to edit my posts on the old interface I use some alternative front-ends, like imginn.com, which is alternative front-end to instagram, so I set to redirect links there. This sort of thing.
- Narishma 1y ago
  Mobile Wikipedia to normal Wikipedia.
- hadrien01 1y ago
  Redirects from translated versions of Google or Microsoft documentation to the English one. The Microsoft ones are okay-ish but I strongly prefer reading the original version. And the Google ones are a patchwork of machine-translated nonsense, "powered by Google Cloud Translation API"

amitizle 1y ago

Not to be that guy but sounds like a vulnerability waiting to happen

Bluestein 1y ago
There seems to almost always be a tradeoff between how useful a piece of software potentially is, and how vulnerable, as in, how much of a desirable target ...
lupusreal 1y ago
That's why I bricked up all of my windows. Glass is just too easy to break.
shaunpud 1y ago
Please explain

snthd 1y ago

The discontinued HTTPS Everywhere is the same thing, just that it came with a default https flavoured ruleset.

LargoLasskhyfv 1y ago

There is also https://libredirect.github.io https://libredirect.github.io

aspenmayer 1y ago
Also available from same dev on a non-GH host: https://libredirect.codeberg.page/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/

curtisszmania 1y ago

[dead]

DimitriBouriez 1y ago

The extension is no longer available on Chrome. So, I am looking for a way to automatically redirect x.com to xcancel.com

aspenmayer 1y ago
https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.github.io/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/ https://libredirect.codeberg.page/
- MallocVoidstar 1y ago
  This is also a MV2 extension and therefore also not available on Chrome.
  - aspenmayer 1y ago
    It is available for Chromium, though. https://libredirect.github.io/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.github.io/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.codeberg.page/download_chromium.html https://libredirect.codeberg.page/download_chromium.html
    - MallocVoidstar 1y ago
      Chrome has disabled support for MV2 extensions (unless you set an enterprise policy) and is entirely removing support for MV2 extensions in v139: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate... It releases in August.
      - aspenmayer 1y ago
        Ok.
      - anonym29 1y ago
        You're welcome to quit using spyware as your primary browser if you're dissatisfied with the spyware's treatment of your rights as a user. If you choose not to, you should probably cede the right to complain about problems solved with MV2 extensions, since those problems are now self-inflicted.

nileshtrivedi 1y ago

I find it annoying when people share direct URLs to PDFs at arxiv.org instead of the the abstract. However, if I were to use a redirect extension like this one, then my own click on the PDF link would get redirected back to the abstract page. To handle this, the redirect rule needs to consider the referer page too, with a possible exception if the referer is the same site as the destination.

mook 1y ago
For something like that, on Android I find it fine to install the URL Forwarder app from F-droid and share the link to the app. That way you opt-in to the modification (I use it to load things with Archive.today from HN).
godelski 1y ago
Dear god... this is a major pet peeve of mine. I frequently open the links on my phone and the pdf just eats data and results in a terrible reading experience. The reason I open on my phone is because I find via places like HN, Twitter, Bsky, read the abstract, and then send the link back to my computer for later reading (Firefox send tabs). 99.9% of the time I do not want the pdf...
imurray 1y ago
I wrote firefox and chrome extensions that do exactly what you want: Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/redirectify/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/redirectify/ Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redirectify/mhjmbfadcbhilcfdhkkepffbnjaghfie https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redirectify/mhjmbf... Source: https://github.com/imurray/redirectify https://github.com/imurray/redirectify Sadly I never got around to making it configurable, so it's just a fixed table of rules for a handful of journal and pre-print sites.

altairprime 1y ago

Safari users, Redirect Web is in the app store for this.

faoioifdaoifds 1y ago

[dead]

kmfrk 1y ago

Been using this for a long time, and it's fantastic. I also found out that Kagi (the paid search engine) supports rewriting results, which is probably where you'll see a lot of the links you follow.[1] For instance, if you get some Fandom results, you can change them to antifandom that is part of the BreezeWiki project[2], if you so prefer: https://forgottenrealms.antifandom.com https://forgottenrealms.antifandom.com. [1]: https://kagi.com/settings/?p=redirects https://kagi.com/settings/?p=redirects [2]: https://antifandom.com https://antifandom.com

Bluestein 1y ago
> Kagi (the paid search engine) supports rewriting results This is such a value-add! Pretty smart guys.-
neodymiumphish 1y ago
I’m a Kagi subscriber and didn’t know about this… thanks!!

userbinator 1y ago

I use a filtering proxy to do this. Much more control, and as someone who regularly uses several browsers simultaneously, no need to configure each one separately.

Bluestein 1y ago
There used to be this nice proxy-thing for windows called the "Proxomitron" (or such), peculiar one-eyed pyramid icon and everything! Wonder if it's still around. Been a while.-
- userbinator 1y ago
  That's what I use.
  - Bluestein 1y ago
    Still around! :)

godelski 1y ago

The first example makes me wonder: why is Wikipedia so... bad? It can redirect mobile users to the mobile site but still serves desktop users the mobile site. Why is this reverse direction so hard? What the fuck is up with the light/dark theme feature? I'm really happy they implemented it, but why is the default 'skin-theme-clientpref-day' (light theme)? Shouldn't the default be 'skin-theme-clientpref-os' (automatic)? What's the point of having "automatic" if it isn't... you know... automatic? It's literally a one liner (setting default value). Am I missing something much more nuanced? I see stuff like this all the time, not just on Wiki. Stuff drives me nuts. Just adds needless extra work. I know it is kinda petty to complain about having to click an extra button or two, but I thought the whole point of programming was to automate stuff. Hell, how often do we automate stuff that doesn't need to be lol. Isn't the classic programmer problem that we spend more time automating and optimizing than would be saved by the automation? I mean the theme issue is 5 seconds of work and saves a billion users 2 seconds, each. That one seems worth it if there isn't some other issue.

Argonaut998 1y ago

All of this can be done with a simple script for Tamper/Grease/Violentmonkey if you don’t want to install an extension or are concerned about it not being supported in Manifest V3