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The open-source extension CLI runs and builds extensions on your machine. The Extension.dev platform is the hosted track on top of it: it takes a project from a workspace all the way to a store submission, with a managed GitHub mirror, CI builds, and one-command publishing. If you are looking for the local command-line workflow instead, start with Create your first extension.

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CLI track vs platform track

CLI trackPlatform track
Where it runsYour machineHosted on extension.dev
Entry pointnpx extension@latest createA workspace at extension.dev
Best forLocal development and buildsImporting, previewing, building, and submitting to stores
OutputLocal unpacked build / zipManaged mirror repo, CI artifacts, store submissions
The two tracks are designed to meet: you can develop locally with the CLI and then bring the project into the platform at /import.

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The primary platform journey

1

Create a workspace

Sign in at extension.dev and create a workspace. A workspace is the home for your projects, builds, and store credentials.
2

Bring in a project

Start a project two ways:
  • AI generate: describe what you want at intelligence.extension.dev and preview the generated extension in the browser.
  • Import: go to extension.dev/import and import an existing extension. The platform creates a managed GitHub mirror for the project so builds are reproducible.
3

Preview the extension

Preview any build in the browser before you ship it. Each build is addressable per project, commit, and browser target, so you can confirm behavior on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
4

Build in CI

The managed mirror builds per-browser artifacts in CI and publishes them to the registry with integrity attestations. You do not maintain the build pipeline yourself.
5

Submit to the stores

Submit the build to the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, and Edge Add-ons. Submission is driven from CI (and from AI agents via the MCP server) using a single deploy step.

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What “publish” guarantees

The platform guarantees that a store submission succeeds and is reported honestly: the upload is accepted, validation passes, and the submission is queued for review. It does not guarantee that the listing goes live. Store-reviewer acceptance is a third-party decision outside the platform’s control. Submission status is always reported truthfully, and a listing is never claimed to be live before the store confirms it.

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How this relates to the CLI

You can move between tracks at any time:
  • Develop locally with extension dev and extension build, then import the project into a workspace to get CI builds and store submission.
  • Start a template on the CLI, push it to GitHub, then enter the platform at /import.

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Next steps