{{AI-generated|date=August 2025}} '''Augmented browsing''' is the process of modifying or enriching existing web pages by adding new features, altering layouts, or injecting additional data at the client side.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Aldalur |first=Iñigo |date=2024-01-01 |title=Web Augmentation: A systematic mapping study |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167642323001272 |journal=Science of Computer Programming |volume=232 |article-number=103045 |doi=10.1016/j.scico.2023.103045 |issn=0167-6423|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="ieeexplore.ieee.org">{{Cite journal |title=Web Augmentation as a Technique to Diminish User Interactions in Repetitive Tasks |journal=IEEE Access|date=2021 |doi=10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3104187 |doi-access=free|last1=Aldalur |first1=Inigo |last2=Perez |first2=Alain |last3=Larrinaga |first3=Felix |volume=9 |pages=112686–112704 |bibcode=2021IEEEA...9k2686A |hdl=20.500.11984/5365 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |chapter= Understanding Web Augmentation|series= Lecture Notes in Computer Science|date=2012 |editor-last= |editor-first= |editor2-last= |editor2-first= |title=Current Trends in Web Engineering |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-35623-0_8 |language=en |location=Berlin, Heidelberg |publisher=Springer |pages=79–80 |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-35623-0_8 |isbn=978-3-642-35623-0|last1= Díaz|first1= Oscar|volume= 7703}}</ref> Common methods include installing browser extensions, using userscripts (client-side scripts), or applying custom style-sheets. These techniques empower users to customize or enhance how they view and interact with online content.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MAWA: A Browser Extension for Mobile Web Augmentation |url=https://inria.hal.science/hal-04215528/file/520518_1_En_14_Chapter.pdf |website=hal.science}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bouvin |first=Niels Olof |chapter=Unifying strategies for Web augmentation |date=1999-02-01 |title=Proceedings of the tenth ACM Conference on Hypertext and hypermedia : Returning to our diverse roots: Returning to our diverse roots |chapter-url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/294469.294493 |series=HYPERTEXT '99 |location=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |pages=91–100 |doi=10.1145/294469.294493 |isbn=978-1-58113-064-5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=CrowdMock: an approach for defining and evolving web augmentation requirements |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00766-016-0257-3 |journal=Requirements Engineering|date=2018 |doi=10.1007/s00766-016-0257-3 |last1=Firmenich |first1=Diego |last2=Firmenich |first2=Sergio |last3=Rivero |first3=José Matías |last4=Antonelli |first4=Leandro |last5=Rossi |first5=Gustavo |volume=23 |pages=33–61 |hdl=11336/24744 |hdl-access=free |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Díaz |first1=Oscar |last2=Arellano |first2=Cristóbal |last3=Azanza |first3=Maider |date=2013-05-29 |title=A language for end-user web augmentation: Caring for producers and consumers alike |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2460383.2460388 |journal=ACM Trans. Web |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=9:1–9:51 |doi=10.1145/2460383.2460388 |issn=1559-1131|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last2= Firmenich|first2= Sergio|last3= Gordillo|first3= Silvia E.|last4= Rossi|first4= Gustavo|last5= Winckler|first5= Marco|date=2017 |title=An End User Development Approach for Mobile Web Augmentation |journal=Mobile Information Systems |language=en |volume=2017 |issue=1 |pages= 1–28|doi=10.1155/2017/2525367 |doi-access= free|issn=1875-905X|last1= Bosetti|first1= Gabriela|arxiv= 1906.01418}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pucci |first1=Emanuele |last2=Piro |first2=Ludovica |last3=Possaghi |first3=Isabella |last4=Mulfari |first4=Davide |last5=Matera |first5=Maristella |date=2024-07-13 |title=Co-designing the integration of voice-based conversational AI and web augmentation to amplify web inclusivity |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=16162 |doi=10.1038/s41598-024-66725-3 |pmid=39003348 |pmc=11246435 |bibcode=2024NatSR..1416162P |issn=2045-2322}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Introducing Students to Web Engineering Topics by Teaching Web Augmentation |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10488440 |journal=Journal of Web Engineering|date=2024 |doi=10.13052/jwe1540-9589.2311 |last1=Aldalur |first1=Iñigo |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=1–26 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
== History ==
=== Early concepts and experiments ===
* '''Bookmarklets (1990s):''' Allowed users to run small JavaScript snippets stored as browser bookmarks, enabling quick modifications of the current web page.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wischenbart |first1=Martin |last2=Firmenich |first2=Sergio |last3=Rossi |first3=Gustavo |last4=Bosetti |first4=Gabriela |last5=Kapsammer |first5=Elisabeth |date=2021-02-01 |title=Engaging end-user driven recommender systems: personalization through web augmentation |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11042-020-09803-8 |journal=Multimedia Tools and Applications |language=en |volume=80 |issue=5 |pages=6785–6809 |doi=10.1007/s11042-020-09803-8 |issn=1573-7721|hdl=11336/138404 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> * '''HyperCard (late 1980s)''': Introduced the concept of user-driven stacks and scripting, paving the way for more interactive customization mindsets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classical Hypermedia Virtues on the Web with Webstrates |url=https://www.klokmose.net/clemens/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/webstrates-hm.pdf |access-date=March 13, 2025 |website=www.klokmose.net}}</ref> * '''Greasemonkey (2005)''': An add-on that lets users install or create “user scripts” to dynamically alter web page content. Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey are its successor.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Díaz |first1=Oscar |last2=Arellano |first2=Cristóbal |last3=Azanza |first3=Maider |date=2013-05-29 |title=A language for end-user web augmentation: Caring for producers and consumers alike |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2460383.2460388 |journal=ACM Trans. Web |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=9:1–9:51 |doi=10.1145/2460383.2460388 |issn=1559-1131|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Arellano |first1=Cristóbal |last2=Díaz |first2=Oscar |last3=Iturrioz |first3=Jon |chapter=Crowdsourced Web Augmentation: A Security Model |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |date=2010 |volume=6488 |editor-last=Chen |editor-first=Lei |editor2-last=Triantafillou |editor2-first=Peter |editor3-last=Suel |editor3-first=Torsten |title=Web Information Systems Engineering – WISE 2010 |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-17616-6_27 |language=en |location=Berlin, Heidelberg |publisher=Springer |pages=294–307 |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-17616-6_27 |isbn=978-3-642-17616-6}}</ref>
== Modern implementations == There are various different methods in order to accomplish web augmentation, from browser extensions to augmentation platforms, but they will all operate on making changes to the underlying DOM content of a website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is Web Augmentation? |url=https://www.webfuse.com/blog/web-augmentation-comprehensive-guide |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=www.webfuse.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== Browser extension ecosystems ===
* Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, Safari Extensions: These marketplaces offer extensions that can add or change functionalities for users, covering everything from ad-blocking to user-interface tweaks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biblio {{!}} CPS-VO |url=https://archive.cps-vo.org/node/488/biblio?page=9&sort=title&order=desc |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=archive.cps-vo.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ieeexplore.ieee.org"/><ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |last3= |first3= |chapter= MAWA: A Browser Extension for Mobile Web Augmentation|series= Lecture Notes in Computer Science|date=2021 |volume= 12935|editor-last=Ardito |editor-first=Carmelo |editor2-last=Lanzilotti |editor2-first=Rosa |editor3-last=Malizia |editor3-first=Alessio |editor4-last=Petrie |editor4-first=Helen |editor5-last=Piccinno |editor5-first=Antonio |editor6-last=Desolda |editor6-first=Giuseppe |editor7-last=Inkpen |editor7-first=Kori |title=Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2021 |chapter-url=https://katalogoa.mondragon.edu/janium-bin/janium_login_opac.pl?find&ficha_no=164548 |language=en |location=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |pages=221–242 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-85610-6_14 |isbn=978-3-030-85610-6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last2= Firmenich|first2= Sergio|last3= Rossi|first3= Gustavo|last4= Wimmer|first4= Manuel|last5= Garrigós|first5= Irene|last6= González-Mora|first6= César|date=2022-01-01 |title=Engineering Web Augmentation software: A development method for enabling end-user maintenance |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950584921001853 |journal=Information and Software Technology |volume=141 |article-number=106735 |doi=10.1016/j.infsof.2021.106735 |issn=0950-5849|last1= Firmenich|first1= Diego|hdl= 10045/119197|hdl-access= free}}</ref> * Community Collaboration: Open-source projects on platforms like GitHub or Git-Lab host user-created scripts and styles, fostering a shared culture of website overspecialization.
=== Web augmentation platforms === A '''web augmentation''' platform is a framework or service that streamlines the creation, management, and distribution of augmented web experiences. These platforms often provide tools for non-technical users to apply customization without needing deep programming knowledge.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Urbieta |first1=Mario Matías |url=https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/180351 |title=A Web-based Model-driven Platform for Web Augmentation |last2=Mahl |first2=Franco |last3=Rossi |first3=Gustavo Héctor |last4=Bosetti |first4=Gabriela Alejandra |date=2019 |publisher=Scitepress |isbn=978-989-758-386-5}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Goffe |first1=Louis |last2=Chivukula |first2=Shruthi Sai |last3=Bowyer |first3=Alex |last4=Bowen |first4=Simon |last5=Toombs |first5=Austin L |last6=Gray |first6=Colin M |date=2021-07-11 |title=Web Augmentation for Well-Being: the Human-Centred Design of a Takeaway Food Ordering Digital Platform |url=https://academic.oup.com/iwc/article/33/4/335/6609536 |journal=Interacting with Computers |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=335–352 |doi=10.1093/iwc/iwac015 |issn=1873-7951|doi-access=free }}</ref>
* '''Webfuse''': An example of a web augmentation platform that enables developers and end users to create extensions or “overlays” that customize a site’s appearance and functionality in real time. By leveraging browser APIs, Web-fuse can inject interactive elements, gather data, or modify site components, all within an accessible, user-friendly framework.
=== Technical foundations ===
* '''DOM Manipulation (JavaScript)''': Augmentation often relies on reading and rewriting the page Document Object Model (DOM).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Engineering Web Augmentation Software: A Development Method for Enabling End-User Maintenance |url=https://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/119197/5/Firmenich_etal_2022_InformSoftTech_preprint.pdf |access-date=March 13, 2025 |website=rua.ua.es}}</ref> * '''API Access''': Browser extension APIs (e.g., Chrome’s chrome.* APIs, Firefox WebExtensions) provide controlled entry points for injecting scripts or intercepting traffic.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Model-based Generation of Web Application Programming Interfaces to Access Open Data |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10251871 |access-date=2025-03-12 |journal=Journal of Web Engineering| date=2020 | doi=10.13052/jwe1540-9589.197810 | last1=González-Mora | first1=Cesar | last2=Garrigós | first2=Irene | last3=Zubcoff | first3=Jose | last4=Mazón | first4=Jose-Norberto | volume=19 | issue=7–8 | pages=1147–1172 | url-access=subscription | doi-access=free }}</ref>
== Walled gardens and geographical restrictions ==
=== Emergence of walled gardens === A '''walled garden''' describes an online environment where a platform strictly controls or curates apps, content, and sometimes user modifications. Examples include Apple’s App Store or closed social media ecosystems, which limit or ban certain forms of augmentation for security or brand consistency reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-13 |title=The Big Shift - a business manifesto |url=https://stevesammartino.com/2012/06/13/the-big-shift-a-business-manifesto/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Steve Sammartino |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Linked data based exploratory search |url=https://theses.hal.science/tel-01130622/file/2014NICE4129.pdf |website=theses.hal.science}}</ref>
=== "Splinternet" phenomenon === Different nations implement region-specific policies, creating a fragmented internet—sometimes referred to as the “Splinternet.” China’s Great Firewall or Russia’s data localization laws restrict external content or shape how users can access and modify information. These constraints can stifle or complicate web augmentation efforts that rely on unrestricted data flows.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schulze |first=Elizabeth |date=2019-11-01 |title=Russia just brought in a law to try to disconnect its internet from the rest of the world |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/01/russia-controversial-sovereign-internet-law-goes-into-force.html |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>
== Social and political movements ==
=== User rights to customize === Groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) argue that users have a right to control their own computing environment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-30 |title=Help EFF Fight for Your Digital Rights! {{!}} Electronic Frontier Foundation |url=https://www.eff.org/effector/18/43 |access-date=2025-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130151600/https://www.eff.org/effector/18/43 |archive-date=30 January 2025 }}</ref> They see web augmentation as a manifestation of digital self-determination—particularly in places where platform or government controls are strict.
=== Resistance and Workarounds ===
* '''Circumventing Censorship''': Some extensions or proxies help users bypass national firewalls or highlight omitted content. * '''Ad-Blocking Disputes''': Publishers claim ad-blockers (a form of augmentation) undermine revenue, triggering ongoing debates over user autonomy vs. content provider rights.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CrowdMock: an approach for defining and evolving web augmentation requirements |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303914512 |access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref>
== See also ==
* Userscripts * Browser extensions * Web accessibility * Ad blocking * Digital rights
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Web software