uBlock/README.md

# µBlock for Chromium

See [Change log](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Change-log) for latest changes.

An efficient blocker for Chromium-based browsers. Fast and lean.

![screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gorhill/uBlock/master/doc/img/ss-chromium-2.png)

The above screenshot was taken after running my 
[reference benchmark](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Comparative-benchmarks-against-widely-used-blockers:-Top-15-Most-Popular-News-Websites) 
plus a bit of random browsing. All blockers were active at the same time, 
thus they had to deal with exactly the same workload. Before the screenshot was 
taken, I left the browser idle for many minutes so as to let the browser's 
garbage collector kicks in.

Regarding reviews in various web store:

[My answer to Chrome store reviews where appropriate](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/My-answer-to-Chrome-store-reviews-where-appropriate)

Some articles about the origin of the source code behind µBlock:

- [Net request filtering efficiency: HTTP Switchboard vs. Adblock Plus](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Net-request-filtering-efficiency:-HTTP-Switchboard-vs.-Adblock-Plus)
- [Adblock Plus memory consumption](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Adblock-Plus-memory-consumption)

Forums:

- [On Reddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/28xt2j/%C2%B5block_a_fast_and_lean_blocker_for_chromiumbased/)
- [On Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7936809)

## Installation

From the [Chrome store](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/µblock/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm), 
or [manually](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/tree/master/dist).

To benefit from the higher efficiency, it is of course not advised to use an 
inefficient blocker at the same time. µBlock will do as well or better than the 
popular blockers out there.

## Documentation

I think it is pretty obvious, except for this I suppose:

![Popup](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gorhill/uBlock/master/doc/img/popup-1.png)

The big fat power button is to disable/enable µBlock **for the specific hostname
which can be extracted from the URL address of the current page**. (It applies to 
the current web site only, it is **not** a global power button.) The state of the power 
switch for a specific site will be remembered.

## Benchmarks

I ran my [reference benchmark](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Comparative-benchmarks-against-widely-used-blockers:-Top-15-Most-Popular-News-Websites) 
to compare against other popular blockers.

Results -- figures are *3rd party* / *all*:

#### µBlock 0.1.0.4

* Domains: **66** / 67
* Hosts: 117 / 171
* Scripts: 239 / 321
* Outbound cookies: 8 / 42
* Net requests: 1,035 / 1,877

#### Adblock Plus 1.8.3

* Domains: **72** / 73
* Hosts: 124 / 177
* Scripts: 243 / 328
* Outbound cookies: 8 / 44
* Net requests: 1,041 / 1,913

#### Ghostery 5.3.0

* Domains: **83** / 84
* Hosts: 140 / 211
* Scripts: 239 / 343
* Outbound cookies: 17 / 57
* Net requests: 1,046 / 1,930

#### Adguard 1.0.2.9

* Domains: **89** / 90
* Hosts: 145 / 217
* Scripts: 262 / 349
* Outbound cookies: 18 / 68
* Net requests: 1,064 / 1,904

#### Disconnect 5.18.14

* Domains: **95** / 96
* Hosts: 163 / 239
* Scripts: 283 / 381
* Outbound cookies: 18 / 74
* Net requests: 1,087 / 1,989

#### No blocker

* Domains: **380** / 381
* Hosts: 566 / 644
* Scripts: 490 / 592
* Outbound cookies: 245 / 315
* Net requests: 1,950 / 2,871

The figures show the number of requests **allowed**, thus lower numbers are better. 
The point is to show how many 3rd-party servers are hit on average after running 
the reference benchmark (three repeats in the current instance).

The less hits on 3rd-party servers, the better. All blockers were configured 
in such a way as to compare apples-vs-apples:

- **µBlock:** out-of-the-box settings -- no change.
- **Adblock Plus:** _"EasyList"_, _"EasyPrivacy"_, _"Malware Domains"_ checked. _"Acceptable ads"_ unchecked.
- **Ghostery:** _"Advertising"_, _"Analytics"_, _"Beacons"_, _"Privacy"_ checked. _"Widgets"_ not checked. _"GhostRank"_ unchecked. 
- **Adguard:** _"English"_, _"Spyware and tracking"_, _"Phishing and malware protection"_ checked. _"Social media"_ not checked. _"Acceptable ads"_ unchecked.
- **Disconnect:** out-of-the-box settings -- no change.

## About

µBlock is born out of [HTTP Switchboard](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard).
All the niceties of HTTPSB have been removed, and what is left is a straightforward
blocker which support EasyList and the likes, and also support host files. 
Cosmetic filters ("element hiding") are supported.

There is nothing more to it. But it does what popular blockers out there do, at a
fraction of CPU and memory usage for the same blocking power.

Free. Open source. No donations sought. For users by users.

## License

[GPLv3](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/blob/master/LICENSE.txt).
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00			`# µBlock for Chromium`

			`See [Change log](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Change-log) for latest changes.`

screenshot 2014-06-24 06:28:46 +02:00			`An efficient blocker for Chromium-based browsers. Fast and lean.`
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00
screenshot 2014-06-24 06:28:46 +02:00			`![screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gorhill/uBlock/master/doc/img/ss-chromium-2.png)`
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00
... 2014-06-24 17:10:13 +02:00			`The above screenshot was taken after running my`
			`[reference benchmark](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Comparative-benchmarks-against-widely-used-blockers:-Top-15-Most-Popular-News-Websites)`
			`plus a bit of random browsing. All blockers were active at the same time,`
			`thus they had to deal with exactly the same workload. Before the screenshot was`
			`taken, I left the browser idle for many minutes so as to let the browser's`
... 2014-06-24 19:20:14 +02:00			`garbage collector kicks in.`
... 2014-06-24 17:10:13 +02:00
... 2014-06-25 04:45:52 +02:00			`Regarding reviews in various web store:`

			`[My answer to Chrome store reviews where appropriate](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/My-answer-to-Chrome-store-reviews-where-appropriate)`

more info 2014-06-24 06:38:26 +02:00			`Some articles about the origin of the source code behind µBlock:`

more info 2014-06-24 06:39:37 +02:00			`- [Net request filtering efficiency: HTTP Switchboard vs. Adblock Plus](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Net-request-filtering-efficiency:-HTTP-Switchboard-vs.-Adblock-Plus)`
			`- [Adblock Plus memory consumption](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Adblock-Plus-memory-consumption)`
more info 2014-06-24 06:38:26 +02:00
link to reddit 2014-06-24 15:30:05 +02:00			`Forums:`

benchmark results 2014-06-24 15:37:20 +02:00			`- [On Reddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/28xt2j/%C2%B5block_a_fast_and_lean_blocker_for_chromiumbased/)`
link to hn 2014-06-24 15:52:42 +02:00			`- [On Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7936809)`
link to reddit 2014-06-24 15:30:05 +02:00
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00			`## Installation`

installation 2014-06-24 04:08:05 +02:00			`From the [Chrome store](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/µblock/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm),`
... 2014-06-24 07:55:32 +02:00			`or [manually](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/tree/master/dist).`
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00
more info 2014-06-24 06:38:26 +02:00			`To benefit from the higher efficiency, it is of course not advised to use an`
			`inefficient blocker at the same time. µBlock will do as well or better than the`
			`popular blockers out there.`

power switch 2014-06-24 16:52:44 +02:00			`## Documentation`

... 2014-06-24 17:20:15 +02:00			`I think it is pretty obvious, except for this I suppose:`
power switch 2014-06-24 16:52:44 +02:00
			`![Popup](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gorhill/uBlock/master/doc/img/popup-1.png)`

			`The big fat power button is to disable/enable µBlock **for the specific hostname`
... 2014-06-24 16:59:18 +02:00			`which can be extracted from the URL address of the current page**. (It applies to`
... 2014-06-24 17:04:05 +02:00			`the current web site only, it is not a global power button.) The state of the power`
... 2014-06-24 16:59:18 +02:00			`switch for a specific site will be remembered.`
power switch 2014-06-24 16:52:44 +02:00
... 2014-06-24 16:26:31 +02:00			`## Benchmarks`
benchmark results 2014-06-24 15:37:20 +02:00
... 2014-06-24 16:26:31 +02:00			`I ran my [reference benchmark](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard/wiki/Comparative-benchmarks-against-widely-used-blockers:-Top-15-Most-Popular-News-Websites)`
			`to compare against other popular blockers.`
benchmark results 2014-06-24 15:37:20 +02:00
			`Results -- figures are 3rd party / all:`

			`#### µBlock 0.1.0.4`

			`* Domains: 66 / 67`
			`* Hosts: 117 / 171`
			`* Scripts: 239 / 321`
			`* Outbound cookies: 8 / 42`
			`* Net requests: 1,035 / 1,877`

			`#### Adblock Plus 1.8.3`

			`* Domains: 72 / 73`
			`* Hosts: 124 / 177`
			`* Scripts: 243 / 328`
			`* Outbound cookies: 8 / 44`
			`* Net requests: 1,041 / 1,913`

			`#### Ghostery 5.3.0`

			`* Domains: 83 / 84`
			`* Hosts: 140 / 211`
			`* Scripts: 239 / 343`
			`* Outbound cookies: 17 / 57`
			`* Net requests: 1,046 / 1,930`

			`#### Adguard 1.0.2.9`

			`* Domains: 89 / 90`
			`* Hosts: 145 / 217`
			`* Scripts: 262 / 349`
			`* Outbound cookies: 18 / 68`
			`* Net requests: 1,064 / 1,904`

			`#### Disconnect 5.18.14`

			`* Domains: 95 / 96`
			`* Hosts: 163 / 239`
			`* Scripts: 283 / 381`
			`* Outbound cookies: 18 / 74`
			`* Net requests: 1,087 / 1,989`

			`#### No blocker`

			`* Domains: 380 / 381`
			`* Hosts: 566 / 644`
			`* Scripts: 490 / 592`
			`* Outbound cookies: 245 / 315`
			`* Net requests: 1,950 / 2,871`

... 2014-06-24 16:27:51 +02:00			`The figures show the number of requests allowed, thus lower numbers are better.`
			`The point is to show how many 3rd-party servers are hit on average after running`
			`the reference benchmark (three repeats in the current instance).`
benchmark results 2014-06-24 15:37:20 +02:00
... 2014-06-24 16:27:51 +02:00			`The less hits on 3rd-party servers, the better. All blockers were configured`
			`in such a way as to compare apples-vs-apples:`
details on benchmarks 2014-06-24 16:20:52 +02:00
... 2014-06-24 16:23:03 +02:00			`- µBlock: out-of-the-box settings -- no change.`
details on benchmarks 2014-06-24 16:20:52 +02:00			`- Adblock Plus: _"EasyList"_, _"EasyPrivacy"_, _"Malware Domains"_ checked. _"Acceptable ads"_ unchecked.`
details on benchmarks 2014-06-24 16:22:35 +02:00			`- Ghostery: _"Advertising"_, _"Analytics"_, _"Beacons"_, _"Privacy"_ checked. _"Widgets"_ not checked. _"GhostRank"_ unchecked.`
			`- Adguard: _"English"_, _"Spyware and tracking"_, _"Phishing and malware protection"_ checked. _"Social media"_ not checked. _"Acceptable ads"_ unchecked.`
... 2014-06-24 16:23:03 +02:00			`- Disconnect: out-of-the-box settings -- no change.`
details on benchmarks 2014-06-24 16:20:52 +02:00
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00			`## About`

			`µBlock is born out of [HTTP Switchboard](https://github.com/gorhill/httpswitchboard).`
			`All the niceties of HTTPSB have been removed, and what is left is a straightforward`
... 2014-06-23 02:09:30 +02:00			`blocker which support EasyList and the likes, and also support host files.`
			`Cosmetic filters ("element hiding") are supported.`
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00
			`There is nothing more to it. But it does what popular blockers out there do, at a`
... 2014-06-23 02:14:54 +02:00			`fraction of CPU and memory usage for the same blocking power.`
first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00
first commit 2014-06-23 02:01:27 +02:00			`Free. Open source. No donations sought. For users by users.`

first commit 2014-06-23 02:00:34 +02:00			`## License`

... 2014-06-24 07:55:32 +02:00			`[GPLv3](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/blob/master/LICENSE.txt).`