To clarify, I know we can use hosts file (and pi-hole) to block ads. However its too blunt of a tool. I think the key feature of adblocker browser extensions is the ability to allow ads/trackers on certain domains and block it completely on others. This is necessary because there's a lot of poorly coded websites (banks, phone carriers, brokerages) that simply break if say, a facebook tracker is blocked, meanwhile its perfectly fine to block it on a random blog website.
To narrow my question further, can a desktop application that hooks into Google Chrome be notified:
1. When a new tab is created 2. What URL is a tab pointed towards 3. Be able to identify all network requests of a given tab 4. Manipulate the network requests
It would basically be a firewall software program that is focused specifically towards the browser, with the options provided by existing adblock browser extensions (e.g., block trackers from a given domain).
There are a couple of benefits to this approach: 1. Since its NOT in the Chrome Web Store, its not subject to Google's nonsense. 2. Because it's a desktop application, it would be much faster as compared to javascript-based adblocker extensions.
I think this would be a great open source project.
