Do AI browser extensions need sidebars?
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Hey Product Hunt 👋
I’m building Clarity AI, a lightweight browser extension that lets you work with selected text directly from the right-click menu.
The idea came from a simple frustration: many AI browser tools add sidebars, floating buttons, popups, and extra panels. They are powerful, but they often interrupt the workflow.
With Clarity, I’m trying a different approach:
Highlight text → right-click → choose an AI action → get the result.
No persistent sidebar. No popup. No tab switching.
I’m curious how other builders and users think about this:
Do you prefer AI tools to live in a sidebar, or should they stay hidden until you need them?
Would love your honest feedback before the launch.
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Replies
I actually like that you’re questioning the sidebar.
Not every AI tool needs to become another panel fighting for attention. Sometimes the best AI interface is the one that stays out of the way.
For selected text, right-click feels much cleaner to me. If I’m already reading or writing somewhere, I probably don’t want a whole sidebar unless I’m doing a deeper workflow or need history.
We’re thinking about this with Traction too. Orbit is meant to be a business partner inside the platform, but not every AI action needs to feel like “go talk to the chatbot.” Sometimes the right move is just a useful next action in the exact place the user already is.
So my vote: keep Clarity lightweight first. Add a sidebar only if users start asking for saved outputs, history, or multi-step workflows.
Curious — what actions are people using most so far? Summarize, rewrite, explain, research?