Every now and again, even the best of us have to take some time out and work on our sites. On today’s expanded edition of Browser Extension Friday, we take a look at sixteen add-ons that will let you do just that without abandoning the safety and comfort of your browser window.

Firefox:

• Server Switcher – Easily switch between the “live” version of your site and the “experimental” version that is still living on your desktop or development server. Think of it as object-oriented proofreading.
• Firebug – Edit a variety of files, including HTML, XML, and CSS without ever leaving the browser window.
• Pixel Perfect - This handy little add on for both Firefox and Firebug (that’s right, an extension of an extension) allows you to lay one page on top of another. Extremely useful when trying to spot the changes between two pages.
• Font Finder - Find the name and type of any style of font imaginable.
• Thai Line Breaking – This extension allows Firefox to “properly split Thai words.” While this might be considered a niche tool for some, it’s a bonafide lifesaver to others.

Opera:

• Vista Editor HTML – Adds a powerful, full-featured HTML editor to Opera. As the name implies, this widget only works in Windows Vista.
• The Colours of the Rainbow – Pick a colour, any colour. Not only will this widget tell you what that colour is, but it will also give you the CSS code for it as well.
• Site Validatior – Make sure that all of your links are working properly.
• Meta Tag Generator – Get a list of meta tags quickly and easily. While we wouldn’t suggest relying on this widget completely, it does give you a fine place to start.
• Binarizaton – …Because we all need to indulge in a few ones and zeros from time to time.

Safari:

• Dosera – A Javascript debugger that can be used with any program running the WebKit rendering engine. While newer implementations of Safari have a version of Dosera built directly into the browser, users of “legacy” browsers can still load the tool as a separate attachment.
• Safari Tidy – Check to see if your website (or anyone else’s site, for that matter) is both XML and HTML compliant.
• SafariSource – Add colored labels to the Safari source view. Each module, script type, and language has its own color, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.
• SafariStand – A unique little extension that allows you to sort and view content by type. Extremely useful if you just want to study one type of code, such as HTML or Javascript.
• PithHelmet – A high-powered ad blocker that can make everything from Flash videos to midi loops disappear in an instant.

Internet Explorer:

• DebugBar – Instantly transform your average web browser into a web development dynamo. Despite the power of the editor, some in the audience might have some issues with the toolbar’s overly technical, Visual Basic-esque layout.