Enables extensions to clear the data that is accumulated while the user is browsing.

In the browsingData API, browsing data is divided into types:

• browser cache

• cookies

• downloads

• history

• local storage

• plugin data

• saved form data

• saved passwords

You can use the function to remove any combination of these types. There are also dedicated functions to remove each particular type of data, such as , and so on.

All the browsingData.remove[X]() functions take a object, which you can use to control two further aspects of data removal:

• how far back in time to remove data

• whether to remove data only from normal web pages, or also from add-ons. Note that this option is not yet supported in Firefox.

Finally, this API gives you a function that gives you the current value of the settings for the browser’s built-in “Clear History” feature.

To use this API you must have the “browsingData” API permission.

Types

• : Object used to specify the type of data to remove: for example, history, downloads, passwords, and so on.

• : Object used to specify how far back in time to remove data, and whether to remove data added through normal web browsing or by add-ons.

Methods

• : Removes browsing data for the data types specified.

• : Clears the browser’s cache.

• : Removes cookies.

• : Removes the list of downloaded files.

• : Clears saved form data.

• : Clears the browser’s history.

• : Clears any local storage and session storage created by websites.

• : Clears saved passwords.

• : Clears data associated with plugins.

• : Gets the current value of settings in the browser’s “Clear History” feature.

Browser compatibility

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