Chrome Webstore Release Blueprint

Chrome Web Store Release Blueprint

Use this skill as a hands-on setup guide. The agent should lead the user step-by-step, ask for confirmations, and only automate the parts that can be done locally/in CI.

What This Skill Is For

• Helping a user set up Chrome Web Store release automation from scratch.
• Giving clear manual instructions for Google/CWS dashboard steps.
• Implementing repo-side scripts/workflows after the user provides credentials.
• Verifying submission state (PUBLISHED, PENDING_REVIEW, etc.).

Agent Behavior Rules

• Treat dashboard/OAuth tasks as user-driven; do not imply you performed them.
• Give one clear step at a time and wait for confirmation before moving on.
• Ask for exact values only when needed, and tell user where each value comes from.
• Mask secrets in logs and never commit secret values to git.
• If gh is available, offer secret upload automation; if not, provide manual fallback.

Step 1: Project Discovery (Before Any Credential Work)

Collect these inputs:

• manifest path containing extension version
• build command
• zip/package command and output file name/path
• CI platform (GitHub Actions by default)
• release branch policy (main, tags, or manual dispatch)
• local secret file convention (.env, .env.local, etc.)

Ask explicitly:

• "Do you want CI to publish only when version changes?"
• "Do you want me to wire GitHub secret upload via gh?"

Step 2: Detailed Credential Walkthrough (User + Agent)

2.1 Enable API in Google Cloud

Tell user to open:

• https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/chromewebstore.googleapis.com

User actions:

1. Select the intended Google Cloud project.
2. Click Enable for Chrome Web Store API.

Agent prompt example:

• "When Chrome Web Store API shows as Enabled, tell me and I will move to OAuth setup."

2.2 Configure OAuth Consent Screen

Tell user to open one of:

• https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials/consent
• If UI redirects, continue in Google Auth Platform consent screen pages.

User actions:

1. Choose External user type (for non-Workspace internal apps).
2. Fill app name, support email, developer contact email.
3. Save and continue through scopes unless custom scopes are required.
4. Add your own Google account as a test user if app is in Testing mode.
5. Save.

Agent guidance:

• If user wants stable long-lived refresh token behavior, recommend moving consent screen to Production when ready.

2.3 Create OAuth Client

Tell user to open:

• https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials

User actions:

1. Click Create Credentials -> OAuth client ID.
2. Choose application type Web application.
3. Add authorized redirect URI exactly:

• https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground

4. Create client.

Capture values:

• CWS_CLIENT_ID
• CWS_CLIENT_SECRET

Agent prompt example:

• "Paste CWS_CLIENT_ID and CWS_CLIENT_SECRET when ready (I will treat them as secrets)."

2.4 Generate Refresh Token (OAuth Playground)

Tell user to open:

• https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground/

User actions:

1. Click the settings gear icon.
2. Enable Use your own OAuth credentials.
3. Paste CWS_CLIENT_ID and CWS_CLIENT_SECRET.
4. In Step 1, enter scope:

• https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chromewebstore

5. Click Authorize APIs.
6. Sign in with the same Google account that owns/publishes the extension.
7. Click Exchange authorization code for tokens.
8. Copy refresh token.

Capture value:

• CWS_REFRESH_TOKEN

Agent prompt example:

• "Paste CWS_REFRESH_TOKEN now. I will only place it in local secret storage/CI secrets."

2.5 Capture Store IDs

Capture:

• CWS_EXTENSION_ID (the extension item ID from store/developer listing URL)
• CWS_PUBLISHER_ID (developer/publisher ID from Chrome Web Store developer account context)

Agent instruction:

• If user is unsure, ask them to open the Chrome Web Store Developer Dashboard and copy IDs from item/account URLs or account details.

2.6 Credential Checklist

Do not proceed until all five exist:

• CWS_CLIENT_ID
• CWS_CLIENT_SECRET
• CWS_REFRESH_TOKEN
• CWS_PUBLISHER_ID
• CWS_EXTENSION_ID

Step 3: Local Secret File and CI Secret Setup

Create a local template file (no real values committed):

CWS_CLIENT_ID=
CWS_CLIENT_SECRET=
CWS_REFRESH_TOKEN=
CWS_PUBLISHER_ID=
CWS_EXTENSION_ID=

Ensure real secret file path is gitignored.

If using GitHub Actions, ask user if gh automation is desired.

If yes, verify:

gh --version
gh auth status

If gh auth is missing, tell user to run:

• gh auth login

Then implement a helper script that:

• reads secret values from local env file
• validates all required keys are present
• supports --dry-run
• masks values in dry-run output
• uploads with gh secret set ... --repo ...
• fails fast on missing keys/auth

If user declines gh, provide manual secret entry checklist for repository settings.

Step 4: Release Workflow Blueprint (Version-Triggered)

Design the CI workflow around this logic:

1. Read local manifest version.
2. Optionally compare with a secondary version file and fail on mismatch.
3. Exchange refresh token for access token:

• POST https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token

4. Fetch CWS status:

• GET https://chromewebstore.googleapis.com/v2/publishers/<publisherId>/items/<extensionId>:fetchStatus

5. Extract current published version from:

• publishedItemRevisionStatus.distributionChannels[0].crxVersion

6. If local version == published version, skip publish.
7. If version changed:

• build package zip
• upload zip: POST https://chromewebstore.googleapis.com/upload/v2/publishers/<publisherId>/items/<extensionId>:upload
• handle async upload state with polling when needed
• publish: POST https://chromewebstore.googleapis.com/v2/publishers/<publisherId>/items/<extensionId>:publish

Treat these publish states as successful submission:

• PENDING_REVIEW
• PUBLISHED
• PUBLISHED_TO_TESTERS
• STAGED

Step 5: Submission Status Checker Blueprint

Create a script dedicated to "what is the latest submission state?".

Required behavior:

• accepts env values (and optional --env-file)
• optionally accepts --manifest for local version comparison
• supports --json
• calls token endpoint + fetchStatus
• outputs normalized fields:
  • itemId
  • localVersion
  • publishedVersion
  • publishedState
  • submittedVersion
  • submittedState
  • upToDate
  • pendingReview
• exits non-zero on auth/API/input errors

Helpful checks to include:

• flag version mismatch between manifest and package metadata
• show whether uploaded version is pending review but not yet published
• print concise human summary when --json is not used

Step 6: Guided Verification Flow

Run this with the user:

1. Confirm status checker runs successfully before release.
2. Bump extension version (patch) in all version sources.
3. Push branch and trigger workflow.
4. Confirm workflow either:

• skips (if no version change), or
• uploads and submits publish.

5. Re-run status checker:

• expect PENDING_REVIEW first in many cases
• later expect published channel to match local version

Troubleshooting Script (What Agent Should Say)

• invalid_grant:
• likely wrong/expired refresh token, wrong OAuth client, or wrong account
• 403 from CWS endpoint:
• account lacks publisher permissions for that extension
• workflow no-op:
• local version equals published version by design
• upload failure:
• inspect API response and packaged zip structure/manifest validity
• version mismatch guard failure:
• align all declared version files before publishing

Practical Links (Share During Guidance)

• Chrome Web Store API overview: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/using-api
• Publish endpoint: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/publish
• OAuth Playground: https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground/
• API enablement page: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/chromewebstore.googleapis.com
• Credentials page: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials

Guardrails

• Never commit credentials.
• Never hardcode secrets in workflow YAML.
• Never auto-publish every push without version comparison.
• Keep setup instructions explicit and user-confirmed at each manual step.
• Prefer repeatable helper scripts over ad-hoc one-off commands.