Why it's a strong pick

Refined GitHub is open source under the MIT license and uses Manifest V3, Chrome's current extension format. The README calls it "Free and open source". Its host access is limited to github.com and api.github.com. Its latest GitHub release is from 1 October 2026.

What it does

It "simplifies the GitHub interface and adds useful features", according to the README. It changes pages on GitHub.com as you browse, so common tasks take fewer clicks. Most JavaScript features can be switched off in the options.

Key features

100+ improvements. Many small changes across GitHub.
Repository extras. Such as stars, CI status and fork indicators.
Code view help. Linkified references and visible whitespace.
Pull request tools. Including one-click branch deletion and a single-click PR from a branch.
Release subscribe. One-click subscribe to releases.
Options. Turn most features off and override CSS.

Who it's for

It suits developers and maintainers who spend a lot of time on github.com. If you only visit GitHub now and then, you may not notice the gains. It works on GitHub.com only, and on GitHub Enterprise if you set it up.

What permissions does Refined GitHub ask for?

Its source manifest lists storage, scripting, contextMenus, activeTab and alarms. Host access is limited to https://github.com/* and https://api.github.com/*. It runs content scripts on github.com and gist.github.com, with login pages excluded. We read the source manifest on GitHub, not the store build, so check the permission prompt when you install.

Does it work outside GitHub.com?

No. It is for GitHub.com. GitHub Enterprise is supported when you set it up. It also needs Chrome 140 or newer, so older Chromium builds cannot install it, and the other sites you visit are left alone. Firefox and Safari builds exist, according to the README.

What does it do with my GitHub token?

Some features use a GitHub token that you supply, and version 26.10 added support for multiple tokens. We could not confirm what it does with the token, so use one only if you are comfortable with that. We could not read the developer's privacy policy when we checked; read it before installing.

FAQ

Is it free? The README says "Free and open source".

Does it work on other sites? No, only GitHub.

Will it break when GitHub changes? It can. Releases sometimes restore features after a GitHub redesign, so update the extension when a feature stops working.

Good to know

Open the options page and turn off any feature you do not want. When a feature breaks after a GitHub layout change, check for a new release first. Do not paste a token into any tool you have not read about. If you use a token, give it the least access it needs.

Other developer tools to compare

Refined GitHub is one of 13 picks in our developer tools guide:

Redux DevTools: debug Redux state.
Apollo Client Devtools: inspect Apollo Client apps.
Preact Developer Tools: inspect Preact components.
Lighthouse: audit a page.
JSON Formatter: read JSON responses.
React Developer Tools: inspect React components.
Vue.js devtools: inspect Vue 3 apps.
Requestly: redirect URLs, modify headers and mock requests while you test.
Solid DevTools: debug SolidJS reactivity.
Ember Inspector: inspect Ember.js apps.
MobX Developer Tools: debug MobX apps.
Header Editor: Rewrites request and response headers, redirects and blocks requests with rules you set. The Chrome build is the Lite version. Open source.