Refined GitHub: GitHub’s “Edge” Version

Refined GitHub is a browser extension that improves the GitHub experience with tons of user experience improvements. It adds fixes to annoyances that you didn’t even know you had, and once you learn about this extension, you won’t want to go back.

A few months ago, I started using the extension and it is badass. Started by the respected developer, @sindresorhus, this extension fixes tons of the small annoyances we have with GitHub. The improvements are executed so well that the company has started to follow suit and implement some of them, too!

Because of this, the extension makes you feel like you’re using GitHub Edge™. It’s the same GitHub you know and love, but with a better experience. ⚡

For me, the extension has performed perfectly and it keeps improving all the time. I’m pretty jazzed about it, and I think you will be too.

Here’s a list of my favorite features so far:

1. Reaction avatars

See the avatars of those who reacted to an issue, pull request, or comment. It’s so much better than simply seeing a faceless (get it?) number!

2. Show links to closing PR in issues and PR

A link to the PR that will close the viewed issue can be seen prominently in issues and PRs. No more searching comment history to find the PR mention.

3. Linkifies URLs and issue/PR references in code, comments, and titles

Similar to how GitHub “linkifies” URLs and issue and PR references in markdown, it will create automatically create links to URLs, issues, or PRs from your code and issue titles.

4. Mark issues and pull requests as unread

Add an issue or pull request to your notifications. Need a reminder to check out a comment later? Here’s your solution.

5. Add indenting with the tab key in textareas

Adds indent with tab to textareas. Writing code blocks in GitHub comments just became a cinch.

See more and contribute

If Refined GitHub only changed one or two things, I don’t think it would add enough value to be compelling. But when you package these improvements altogether, it significantly improves the UX.

In addition to the ones I mentioned, there’s a bunch of other quality-of-life improvements that I left out. To see the rest of the features or help with development, check out the GitHub project repo.

I’ll wager that these changes will fit so well with your current workflow that you’ll forget what’s GitHub and what’s added by extension, too! So give it a try and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to the Refined GitHub team!