Inside LiFi’s Architecture
Understanding how LiFi works under the hood gives users a deeper appreciation of the privacy, performance, and intelligence built into the system. This page offers a clear explanation of the key components that power the LiFi Chrome Tracker and how they all work together to deliver local-first, privacy-respecting analytics.
Background Scripts and Content Scripts
Chrome extensions are powered by multiple scripts that perform distinct tasks. In LiFi, two of the most important are the background script and the content script.
Background Script
The background script acts as the brain of the extension. It runs continuously in the background and is responsible for:
Listening to browser events like page loads, tab switches, and navigation completions
Managing communication between different parts of the extension
Handling data storage operations
Monitoring cookies and managing tracking preferences
Coordinating AI analysis based on browsing behavior
It does not directly interact with the web pages users visit, but instead acts as a control center that handles everything behind the scenes.
Content Script
The content script is injected into every webpage the user visits. It runs inside the page’s context and is responsible for collecting data such as:
The page title, URL, and referring site
Search queries entered into search forms
Clicks, scrolls, hovers, and other interactions
Product views and e-commerce activity
It sends this data to the background script for further processing. Content scripts are isolated from the website itself and do not interfere with the content or functionality of the page.
Options Page and Popup Interface
LiFi includes two interfaces designed for user control and interaction — the full analytics dashboard and a lightweight popup panel.
Options Page
This is the primary dashboard where users can view their browsing data in detail. It includes:
A summary of total browsing time, top sites, and visit frequency
A full browsing history organized chronologically
Tabs for viewing specific interactions like searches, clicks, and scroll activity
A tab for AI-generated insights and summaries of behavior
Tools for exporting or deleting your data at any time
The options page is designed to be responsive, easy to navigate, and privacy-transparent. Everything you see has been collected and stored on your own device.
Popup Interface
The popup is a quick-access window that opens when you click the LiFi icon in your browser. It provides:
A switch to turn tracking on or off
A snapshot of the current browsing session
Access to privacy settings
This interface is minimal by design, giving you quick control without needing to open the full dashboard.
Utility Services
LiFi uses a collection of behind-the-scenes services that ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. These utility services are modular, meaning they each handle one specific responsibility.
Data Processing
After the content script collects data, it must be cleaned and formatted before being stored. The data processing service handles:
Removing duplicate or irrelevant data
Assigning accurate timestamps and identifiers
Calculating session durations and scroll depth
Preparing insights-ready data structures
Storage Management
All of your data is stored locally using Chrome’s secure storage system. This service handles:
Adding new data as events occur
Organizing data by category (navigation, interactions, etc.)
Retrieving data quickly for display in the dashboard
Exporting all collected data in a single file
Your data never leaves your device unless you choose to export it yourself.
AI Integration
To give users meaningful insights, LiFi uses a built-in integration with the Google Gemini API. This service is responsible for:
Creating smart prompts based on your activity data
Sending those prompts to the AI for analysis
Receiving and organizing AI-generated summaries
Providing fallback summaries when the AI is unavailable
All AI analysis is done securely, and only when you enable it.
Why Modularity Matters
LiFi is built on a modular architecture, which means every feature and service operates independently. This is a foundational design choice that brings major advantages in four key areas:
Performance
Modular components only load when needed. This keeps the extension lightweight and fast, even when handling large volumes of data.
Maintainability
If something needs fixing or updating — like how a certain type of data is tracked — it can be done in isolation without affecting the rest of the system.
Privacy
Modularity enforces strict boundaries between parts of the system. Sensitive data stays within the tracking module and isn’t exposed to unrelated components.
Scalability
New features, like advanced visualizations or third-party plugins, can be added as separate modules without rewriting the entire codebase. This makes LiFi future-ready.
Summary
LiFi’s architecture is thoughtfully designed to give users a powerful, privacy-first analytics experience without compromising performance or control. By breaking the system down into clearly defined components, background scripts, content scripts, utility services, and user interfaces, LiFi can:
Track and analyze user behavior locally
Process and present insights without exposing data
Offer full transparency and user control
Scale efficiently while staying lightweight
This modular, intelligent design is what makes LiFi more than just a tracker, it’s your personal browsing analytics engine, built for insight and privacy.
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