01
WebGL aurora on a budget
The animated aurora renders through OGL — a tiny WebGL library — on one canvas with a lightweight fragment shader, keeping the new-tab page instant while looking premium.
cd ../work
A glassmorphism new-tab experience with a WebGL aurora — live on the Chrome Web Store.
2025 · Browser Extension · role: owner
● status: production·6 services·~2 min read
React 19TypeScript 5Vite 7OGL (WebGL)Tailwind CSS v4shadcn/uidnd-kitChrome APIs
01 — overview
What it is
DWUI turns the blank Chrome new-tab page into a fast, visually rich start page: an animated aurora gradient rendered in WebGL, a glassmorphism UI, a real-time clock, smart search, and a customizable shortcuts grid — all loading instantly on every new tab.
02 — the problem
Why it exists
The default new-tab page is the most-seen page in a browser and also the least useful — no personality, minimal productivity.
A new-tab replacement has a brutal performance budget: it must render beautifully in milliseconds, every single time, without draining the battery.
03 — architecture
How it's built
A Vite-built React 19 app ships as the extension's new-tab document. OGL drives the aurora on a single WebGL canvas behind the UI layer; Chrome APIs power search and storage; dnd-kit handles the shortcuts grid.
architecture — how requests flowlive
04 — engineering decisions
The choices that mattered
02
Shipped to a real store
Published on the Chrome Web Store with the full release discipline that implies: manifest v3, permissions minimization, and update pipelines.
03
Productivity-first design
Smart search wired to the Chrome search API, a drag-and-drop shortcuts grid via dnd-kit, quick-access app sidebar, and a timezone-aware clock — decoration never blocks utility.
Explain this project
A React 19 + Vite 7 app that ships as a Chrome MV3 extension's new-tab document. The animated aurora renders through OGL — a tiny WebGL library — on a single canvas with a lightweight fragment shader behind a glassmorphism UI (shadcn / Tailwind v4), so it stays instant within a brutal new-tab performance budget. Chrome APIs power smart search and storage, dnd-kit drives the customizable shortcuts grid, and it's shipped with real release discipline: permission minimization and update pipelines.
05 — features
What it does
- WebGL animated aurora background (OGL)
- Glassmorphism panels over a dark-optimized theme
- Smart search via Chrome search API
- Drag-and-drop customizable shortcuts grid
- Real-time clock with timezone handling
- Quick-access sidebar for Google apps
06 — stack
What it runs on
- Framework
- React 19TypeScript 5Vite 7
- Graphics
- OGL (WebGL)Custom shader background
- UI
- shadcn/uiRadix primitivesTailwind CSS v4dnd-kit
- Platform
- Chrome extension (MV3)Chrome Web Store
Want the full story?
The repository has the code, the commits, and the decisions in context — or reach out and I'll walk you through it.