How Chrome users benefit from Opera Software's move to Chromium

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 14, 2013
Updated • Aug 15, 2013
Google Chrome
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The Opera web browser is currently available in two different versions, and multiple editions. The legacy Opera 12.x browser is still maintained by the company, but the majority of resources seem to be reserved for the new Chromium-based Opera 15+ browser instead.

It is likely that Opera Software will maintain both browser versions for the foreseeable future, likely until it believes that the new Opera 15+ browser is ready for prime time.

Not all Opera users see the move as something negative, and there are reasons for that. A faster rendering engine and better standards compatibility for instance, or the fact that most Chrome extensions work in Opera just as well.

What has not really been talked about a lot is how Google Chrome users can benefit from Opera's move to Chromium. I'm not talking about code commits here or other development benefits that the Opera engineering team adds to Chromium's code, but practical use for Chrome users.

Google Chrome users can install Opera extensions in their browser, just like Opera users can install Chrome extensions in their. While they may not work all, some do as they are using a compatible format. What is even better for Chrome users is that the Opera Extensions store does not have the same restrictions that Google imposes on the Chrome store.

So, if you cannot find an extension in the Chrome Web Store because Google does not allow extensions of its kind to be listed there, you may find it in Opera's extension store instead.

install opera extensions in chrome

I cannot get really into too many details here as it could get me in troubles with the Adsense team who are monitoring TOS violations.

Let me provide you with a working example so that you know how to install Opera extensions in Chrome:

  1. You need to open the store on the Opera website in Opera 15 or newer. To do so click on Opera and select Extensions from the menu. Click on get more extensions to be taken to the store.
  2. Select one of the extensions you are interested in, for instance Reddit Enhancement Suite.
  3. Right-click on the Add to Opera link and select Save linked content as from the context menu.
  4. If the add-on has a .crx extension skip to 5, if it has a .nex extension, rename it to .crx.
  5. Open Google Chrome's extensions manager: chrome://extensions/
  6. Drag and drop the newly downloaded Opera extension on the page.
  7. The installation dialog will appear that you need to accept to install the extension.

While you won't find that many extensions yet on the Opera Add-on website, you will find some that you won't find on Google's Chrome Web Store. Plus, you can sort Opera's store by date which you cannot do on the Google store.

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Comments

  1. Christoph142 said on September 1, 2013 at 10:43 am
    Reply

    “Not all Opera users see the move as something negative, and there are reasons for that. A faster rendering engine and better standards compatibility for instance” ?

    I always appreciated switching to Blink.
    That said, Presto probably is the most standard compliant engine developed so far. It just suffered from browser sniffing on various sites around the web.
    Opera’s trying hard to get Blink on a level with Presto in this regard now. So your last point is pure nonsense.

  2. gadgets said on August 17, 2013 at 11:17 am
    Reply

    Yes indeed it is good for the opera users, however there are lots of APIs that are missing from Opera. I just develop an extension lately for opera but the chrome version covers more fields than opera.

  3. moinmoin said on August 15, 2013 at 4:11 am
    Reply

    But this works only with *.crx extensions, Martin.
    *.nex extensions must be rename in *.crx
    See here: http://www.deskmodder.de/blog/2013/06/23/opera-erweiterungen-im-google-chrome-installieren/

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on August 15, 2013 at 4:23 am
      Reply

      You are right, I modify the guide.

  4. www.cyberkey.in said on August 14, 2013 at 4:43 pm
    Reply

    nice tips

  5. paulo raoult said on August 14, 2013 at 5:50 pm
    Reply

    hello;je vous envois une demande pour avoir une rèponse favorable de votre part de m’ajouter a google+,j’adore tous ce que vous faites et superbe site info au jour le jour ,merçi et bonne semaine,a bientot

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