uMatrix

It's here!!!

I found this add-on accidentally on Firefox Profilemaker. Before it, I used NoScript on Firefox and ScriptSafe on Chromium-based browsers. But uMatrix has changed everything. The only idea that I thought in that moment, why no one didn't make something similar before. Look, every such extension, whatever the platform, uses simple conception - blocks third-party scripts and make exceptions rules for domains. And for some fucking news sites which use a dozen of third-party scripts just to show image and video on themselves, it very bored - open extension window, add some exception, update, again and again. And often new domains are requested only after adding exceptions for others.

But uMatrix works differently. First, it keeps history of changes within working tab, you can press Update again and again, and extension area will not change but new requests will be added. You always will see which domains were requested before the update and how it changes the result. Then, every rule what you created will be saved in temporary rules list. So you always see which rules are working globally and which you made in this session and could revert them. It's very-very handy when you trying to find out some key combination, for example for playing embedded youtube video. Moreover, uMatrix allows you to chose what type of content you allow to load on the current domain from other. For example, it could be Referrers from a subdomain of a domain. But any other type of content will be forbidden, and even from other subdomains. But the rule also can be global for a domain. It's hard to describe, you should try. You see it in the handy Matrix view...

...and could edit after in text form.

You also have the ability to download filter lists, for automatic block suspended domains. Everything just like in beloved uBlock.

Script blocker extensions were never so handy before, as I found it! Just try it, and you will never to look on other.

uMatrix and its XUL cousin eMatrix are the most efficient adblocker extensions available. They are not as hard to get into as it seems, just give it a try. Once configured, they don't really require much intervention. Unblocking something to make things work is not that tedious either. Because this extension does not rely on block lists, it remains useful despite not being updated.

In the past, NoScript seemed to work just as fine. Umatrix may very rarely skip a request or two on a newly opened page, but it's not much of an issue, just something to be aware of.

It has a great live log of every connection that each website is making, including scripts/images/cookies/styles. It also shows which scripts/other files are blocked by content blockers.

On negative side: It is not that user-friendly for ad blocking.

I found it complex with little explanation to follow. Yes, there are things you can get intuitively rapidly, but to be able to hone in on specifics became elusive.

I got an overview and controll over my requests.

You can still use it without any problem despite the comment above.

uMatrix is the most important browser extension next to uBlock. Very sad, that it's discontinued.