Monkey Business

Even small changes in a web page can improve the browsing experience. Your preferred web browser provides all the tools you need to inject JavaScript to adapt the page. You just need a browser with its debugging tools, some knowledge of scripting, and the browser extension Tampermonkey.

- Reinhard E. Voglmaier

The browser has become a very important component for interacting with the Internet. In recent years, browsers have evolved from being just a tool for interacting with static HTML to a comprehensive part of the infrastructure. The modern browser is a kind of operating system within the operating system, with a complete SDK for JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, along with features such as a visual debugger, a code inspector, options for network and performance monitoring, and much more. One interesting features is that you can modify pages already loaded into the browser with your own scripts. The ability to customize web pages is useful for:

• quick bug fixes for intranet applications,

• fixing annoying behaviors of websites or web applications,

• implementing security features for users in the enterprise,

• adding convenient new features to publicly available websites, such as automation tools or similar functionalities, and

• providing easy access to AI-based tools.

This flexibility and power push the browser far beyond its original role of simply rendering HTML.

Before I Start …

This article is intended for educational purposes only. My goal is to show you the power of the described technologies. All information you will find here is already available on the Internet – links are provided at the end of this article. As with many tools used for programming, these tools can also be used for illegal activities. If you decide to experiment, it is up to you to obey all applicable laws and treat any websites in a way that is compliant with their intended use.

Welcome to the DOM