cd ../projects
$ cat ./youtubely.md

Youtubely

Chrome extension that tracks YouTube video progress and lets you resume unfinished long-form videos from a local, privacy-first dashboard.

chrome extension mv3typescriptchrome storage api
live demo
project.yml
role:
Solo builder
duration:
ongoing
timeline:
dec 2025
// problem
  • ›YouTube's native Watch History is inconsistent across devices and signed-out states
  • ›Long-form viewers (podcasts, tutorials, documentaries) need resume-at-second precision
  • ›Doing it all without sending any data to external servers
// approach
  • ›Content script auto-saves playback progress every 5 seconds to chrome.storage.local
  • ›Dedicated popup dashboard listing unfinished videos, click-to-jump to the exact second
  • ›Auto-cleanup when a video crosses 98% completion so the list stays tight
// impact
  • ›Shipped as v1.0.0 on the Chrome Web Store
  • ›Zero external dependencies — all data stays on the user's device

Youtubely

Context

A smaller, focused spin-off from the AnswerIt AI extension stack. Built because YouTube's own Watch History kept losing my place on long videos — especially when signed out, or bouncing between devices. Fixing it myself was faster than waiting for Google.

Problem

Long-form YouTube content — podcasts, coding streams, documentaries — is notoriously easy to lose track of. The native Watch History is inconsistent, doesn't always resume at the right second, and breaks entirely without a Google account. For viewers who want a reliable "where was I?" experience, there isn't a good answer out of the box.

Approach

  • Capture: a content script watches the HTML5 video element and writes playback progress to chrome.storage.local every 5 seconds.
  • Dashboard: the extension popup renders a dark-mode list of unfinished videos, each showing current progress.
  • Resume: clicking any entry opens the video and seeks to the exact saved second.
  • Cleanup: once a video hits 98% completion, it's auto-removed so the dashboard stays useful.
  • Privacy: nothing leaves the browser. No accounts, no server, no telemetry.

Outcome

Public on the Chrome Web Store as v1.0.0. It's a small, opinionated tool — the kind that fixes one annoyance completely instead of doing ten things poorly. Built in a weekend on top of the MV3 + TypeScript foundation from AnswerIt AI.

Stack notes

  • Manifest V3 content script + popup
  • chrome.storage.local for timestamps (no external DB, no sync backend)
  • TypeScript for the parts that move
more case studies