Language Learning Assistant

A Firefox extension that helps you learn languages while browsing the web, similar to the discontinued Toucan extension. Uses DeepL's powerful translation API with intelligent caching to minimize API usage.

Features

• 🌐 Smart word replacement: Replaces words on web pages with translations in your target language
• 🎯 Intelligent caching: Saves API credits by caching translations locally
• 📚 Vocabulary tracking: Tracks your learning progress and discovered words
• 🎨 Beautiful tooltips: Hover over translated words to see the original
• ⚙️ Customizable settings: Adjust difficulty, replacement percentage, and target language
• 🚀 Fast and efficient: Minimal performance impact on browsing

Supported Languages

French (default), Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Dutch, Polish

Installation

Method 1: Signed Version (Recommended)

1. Download the latest signed .xpi file from the builds/signed/ folder
2. Open Firefox and go to about:addons
3. Click the gear icon (⚙️) and select "Install Add-on From File"
4. Select the downloaded signed .xpi file
5. The extension will be permanently installed

Method 2: Unsigned Version (Developer Firefox Required)

1. Download the latest .xpi file from the builds/unsigned/ directory
2. Important: This method requires Firefox Developer Edition, as the about:config toggle for xpinstall.signatures.required doesn't work in regular Firefox
3. Open Firefox Developer Edition and navigate to about:config
4. Search for xpinstall.signatures.required and set it to false
5. Go to about:addons
6. Click the gear icon (⚙️) and select "Install Add-on From File"
7. Select the downloaded .xpi file
8. The extension will be permanently installed

Method 3: Development Installation

1. Open Firefox and go to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
2. Click "Load Temporary Add-on"
3. Select the .xpi file or the manifest.json file from the extracted folder
4. Note: This method requires reinstalling after browser restart

Setup

1. Get a DeepL API key:

   • Go to DeepL Pro API
   • Sign up for a free account (500,000 characters/month free)
   • Copy your API key

2. Configure the extension:

   • Click the extension icon in Firefox toolbar
   • Enter your DeepL API key
   • Select your target language (French is default)
   • Adjust difficulty level and replacement percentage
   • Click "Enable Learning"

Usage

• Browse normally: The extension will automatically replace words with translations
• Hover for original: Hover over highlighted words to see the original text
• Click to learn: Click translated words to mark them as "learned"
• Adjust settings: Use the popup to customize your learning experience

Extension Details

• ID: firefox-language-learning@cadawg.com
• Version: 2.0.0
• Minimum Firefox: 58.0
• Permissions: Active tab, storage, DeepL API access

Privacy

• Your API key is stored locally in your browser
• Translation cache is stored locally for efficiency
• No data is sent to third parties except DeepL for translations
• Vocabulary data stays on your device

Building from Source

# Clone or download the source code
chmod +x build.sh

# Build with auto-incrementing patch version (default)
./build.sh

# Build with version increment options
./build.sh --patch   # Increments patch version (2.0.0 → 2.0.1)
./build.sh --minor   # Increments minor version (2.0.0 → 2.1.0)
./build.sh --major   # Increments major version (2.0.0 → 3.0.0)

The build script will:

• Automatically increment the version number in manifest.json
• Create a new .xpi file in builds/unsigned/
• Generate icon files from extensionicon.png
• Update the version in the filename (e.g., language-learning-assistant-v2.0.1.xpi)

The unsigned build will be saved to builds/unsigned/ directory.

Troubleshooting

• 403 Forbidden: Check your DeepL API key is valid
• 429 Rate Limit: The extension automatically rate-limits to prevent this
• No words highlighted: Check if learning is enabled and try adjusting the replacement percentage
• Tooltip positioning: Tooltips automatically adjust based on viewport space

Credits

Inspired by the original Toucan extension. Built as a modern, Firefox-compatible alternative using DeepL translations.