Brave-browser: [Desktop] Sync extensions among desktop clients

[Modelmat]

Description

Currently Brave does not sync extensions through the sync chain. It does not sync the extension settings (proxyOmega and other chrome extensions sync settings through the google sync)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Set up a browser on one device, add some extensions
2. Set up a sync chain with another device
3. No extensions were synced.

Actual result:

No extensions sync nor extension data.

Expected result:

Extensions and extension data syncs.
(including chrome APPS)

Reproduces how often:

100%

Brave version (brave://version info)

Brave | 0.62.51 Chromium: 73.0.3683.103 (Official Build)unknown (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | e82a658d8159cabbd4938c1660f9bb00b4a82a23-refs/branch-heads/3683@{#902}
OS | Linux

Reproducible on current release:

• Does it reproduce on brave-browser dev/beta builds?
  Yes.

[srirambv]

This would be extremly difficult with mobile devices in chain. Not sure if we plan to implement this

cc: @bbondy @tomlowenthal

[bbondy]

no extensions on mobile but we can still do it for desktop

[bsclifton]

This would be a beautiful feature on desktop 🎉

[bavalpey]

I know there are those who wish for this to happen. There is a post on the brave forums requesting this as well: https://community.brave.com/t/sync-extensions-across-devices/41222/8.

This would be a great feature, and the ability for it to be a selection (similar to how bookmarks are done) would be great, too!

[05nelsonm]

Will syncing using our own personal servers be included, so people can choose not to expose their IP addresses to anyone but themselves? Maybe including advanced option for syncing via WebDav? Would be very nice.

Also, extension support for mobile is possible. Check out Kiwi Browser for Android. Copy/Paste?

[smaslennikov]

Aside from extensions, syncing browser settings would be fantastic too. Really hoping to see either of the two soon!

[ewscott9]

I would love to see this to be a Desktop feature. It would make sense not to do it for mobile, since chrome doesn't do it either.

Firefox does have the feature for mobile, however this has caused many problems for extension developers, and uses a completely different extension implementation.

I wonder if we can use Firefox's sync system as a blueprint/inspiration for the Desktop sync system though. Since it works great and is open source see: https://github.com/mozilla-services/syncserver

[zdumitru]

Any progress on this feature? It is very desired.

[bsclifton]

Lots of +1's from https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/7238

[p-vernaeckt]

Hi Brave dev team. Any news of this feature?

[vdrover]

Adding my +1

[andrei-pavel]

Studies have shown that adding this feature would leave Chrome at 20% of user market.

[tetractius]

Studies also have shown that if you don't add this feature before Microsoft Edge for Linux support is release people will start to adopt that one first ... :fearful:

[mikestaub]

@tetractius is right. This is the one feature blocking me from adopting Brave. It should be top priority.

[andrei-pavel]

There must be some browser mafia conspiracy blocking the development of this feature. There's no other explanation.

[ThirtyWorse]

This is a required feature if you actually want to compete with any modern browser. Syncing extensions (but most importantly their settings) is critical to adoption, and the longer brave lags behind on convenience things like this the longer brave will simply lag behind. People simply aren't willing to sacrifice convenience for security, anymore.

Obviously this is a desktop thing, and mobile devices should simply be excluded or opted out by default.

[kerner1000]

For now, I would like to manually sinc, using unison. Can anyone tell, which files/ folders I need to sync (both devices ubuntu desktop)?

[ElderOrb]

Please do it for desktop only, I personally will be happy and switch to brave immediately.

[bsclifton]

This should be addressed by Sync v2; subscribe to https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/9241 for updates 😄

[ElderOrb]

9241 is closed, does it mean extensions sync is working now?

[p-vernaeckt]

Check the milestone #9241 is into: https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/milestone/115

[ElderOrb]

Checked - not sure what should be here but searching by 'extension' results zero.

[bsclifton]

@ElderOrb yes - this is working now 😄 Only available on Nightly at the moment (1.12) - but it does work great 😄

[btlechowski]

Verification passed on

Brave | 1.12.107 Chromium: 84.0.4147.105 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | a6b12dfad6663f13a7e16e9a42a6a4975374096b-refs/branch-heads/4147@{#943}
OS | Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

Verified with following STR:

1. Clean install on DeviceA and DeviceB
2. Establish sync chain between DeviceA and DeviceB
3. Enable Extension syncing in Sync Settings
4. DeviceA: install https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/custom-cursor-for-chrome/ogdlpmhglpejoiomcodnpjnfgcpmgale/related
5. Wait for sync update

• Expected behavior
  
  
  
  • DeviceB: the extension is synced
  
  

---

Verification passed on

Brave | 1.12.107 Chromium: 84.0.4147.105 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | a6b12dfad6663f13a7e16e9a42a6a4975374096b-refs/branch-heads/4147@{#943}
OS | Windows 10 OS Version 1903 (Build 18362.959)

• Verified STR from the description and STR mentioned above by @btlechowski
• Ensured that the extensions are synced across the devices in sync chain when Extensions settings is enabled in both devices
  
• Ensured extensions are synced across the devices in sync chain when extensions are imported from other browsers (chrome)
• Remove extensions from Device A and ensured that extensions removed from both devices in sync chain
• Install extension A in Device A and extension B in Device B - ensured that both extensions A, B are synced in both devices.
• Remove extension A from device A and ensured that extension A is removed from both Devices A and B.
• Disable extension settings in both devices, installed extension A in device A and ensured that extension is not synced in Device B
• Re-enable the extension settings in both devices and add extensions in both devices and ensured that extensions synced across the devices in sync chain

---

Verification PASSED on macOS 10.15.6 x64 using the following build:

Brave | 1.12.108 Chromium: 84.0.4147.105 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | a6b12dfad6663f13a7e16e9a42a6a4975374096b-refs/branch-heads/4147@{#943}
OS | macOS Version 10.15.6 (Build 19G73)

| Win 10 x64 | macOS Catalina x64|
|:-------------:|:-------------:|
| | |

• Went through the STR/Cases that @btlechowski & @GeetaSarvadnya outlined above.