Enables extensions to implement customized behavior when the user types into the browser’s address bar.

When the user focuses the browser’s address bar and starts typing, the browser displays a drop-down list containing suggested pages based on what they typed. This gives the user a quick way to access, for example, pages from their history or bookmarks.

The omnibox API provides the extension a way to customize the suggestions displayed in the drop-down, when the user enters a keyword defined by the extension. It works as follows:

1. First, the extension must include an “omnibox” key in its manifest.json file, which defines a keyword.

2. When the user focuses the address bar and types the keyword followed by a space, the extension gets an event.

3. Optionally, the extension can call to define the first suggestion displayed in the address bar drop-down.

4. As the user continues to type characters, the extension gets events. The event listener is passed the value the user has typed and can populate the address bar drop-down with suggestions. If the extension sets a default suggestion using , this suggestion is displayed first in the drop-down.

5. If the user accepts a suggestion, the extension gets an event. The event listener is passed the accepted suggestion.

6. If the user deletes a suggestion, the extension gets an event.

7. If the user dismisses the drop-down, the extension gets an event.

Types

• : Describes the recommended method to handle the selected suggestion: open in the current tab, open in a new foreground tab, or open in a new background tab.

• : An object representing a suggestion to add to the address bar drop-down.

Functions

• : Defines the first suggestion displayed in the drop-down when the user enters your extension’s keyword followed by a space.

Events

• : Fired whenever the user deletes a suggestion.

• : Fired when the user focuses the address bar and types your extension’s omnibox keyword, followed by a space.

• : Fired whenever the user’s input changes after they have focused the address bar and typed your extension’s keyword followed by a space.

• : Fired when the user accepts one of your extension’s suggestions.

• : Fired when the user dismisses the address bar drop-down after they have focused the address bar and typed your extension’s keyword followed by a space.

Browser compatibility

This API is based on Chromium’s chrome.omnibox API.