Local Web Clipper

The problem

The upstream clipper produces useful Markdown, but its normal workflow assumes Obsidian. I wanted the same extraction and template behavior with destinations that also work for plain local files.

What I built

• Added a small destination abstraction after Markdown generation so the existing extraction, filters, highlights, reader, and YouTube behavior could remain unchanged.
• Implemented local-directory saving, a browser Downloads fallback, and Clipboard output.
• Kept the original project attribution and documented where the fork differs from upstream.

Key decisions

• Use the File System Access API only after explicit user permission.
• Persist the selected directory handle in IndexedDB and request permission again when needed.
• Keep unsupported browsers useful through relative Downloads paths instead of failing.
• Sanitize filenames and add a timestamp when a local file already exists.

How I check the work

• Build the Chromium extension and load the generated dist folder as an unpacked extension.
• Run the existing test suite with npm test.
• Check local folder, Downloads, and Clipboard output separately because each destination has different browser constraints.