Demodal

Demodal is a browser extension that automatically removes content blocking modals including paywalls, discount offers, promts to sign up or enter your email address and more.

Modal dialogues such as paywalls, discount offers, cookie prompts and GDPR banners are user-hostile interfaces that demand your attention and interrupt your browsing experience. Demodal puts you back in control, letting you focus on the content.

Installation

Google Chrome

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/demodal/fjhbdkfknppikobblnjibmkmogjeffcf

Install locally:

• Clone this repository
• Run ./run manifest v3 or copy manifest-v3.json to manifest.json
• Go to about:extensions
• Enable 'Developer mode'
• Click 'Load unpacked'
• Select the project folder

Mozilla Firefox

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/demodal

Install locally:

• Clone this repository
• Run ./run manifest v2 or copy manifest-v2.json to manifest.json
• Go go about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
• Click 'Load Temporary Add-on'
• Select manifest.json

Contributing

This extension is in early development. You can help by reporting websites with modals that didn't get blocked, or by creating your own definitions and sharing them with us and the community. The aim is to build up a comprehensive set of rules over time to block modals anywhere.

Demodal is not an ad-blocker. Only create definitions for UI elements that intefere with reading of content.

When submitting a pull request, please include a screenshot of the element that's being blocked and a link to a website to test.

Every definition should clearly match one modal type (e.g. consent request or paywall). Don't create overly broad definitions (e.g. div.modal) that could block legimitate modals.

Specification

Modal types

Type	Description
consent	Cookie and GDPR notices.
donate	Prompts to make a donation.
email	Prompts to enter your email address.
message	General messages and notifications.
offer	Promotions and discounts.
paywall	Prompts to sign up for a paid subscription.
signup	Prompts to create an account.

Definitions

Definitions are located in /definitions, file-separated by modal type. Definitions are grouped by URL pattern.

{
  "<glob> [ <glob> ... ]": { // URL pattern
    // Definition
    "if <function> [ <function> ... ]": { // Condition
      "<selector>": "<function> [ <argument> ... ]" // Action
    },
    // Definition (shorthand, no condition)
    "<selector>": "<function> [ <argument> ... ]" // Action
  }
}

Examples

{
  "*.example.com *.example.org": {
    "if $(.modal)": {
      ".modal": "remove" // Remove element if present
    },
    ".modal": "addClass hide" // Remove element (shorthand)
    "if defined(ModalDialog)": {
      "ModalDialog.close": "call" // Call function if defined
    },
    "if defined(ModalDialog)": {
      "ModalDialog.setClosed": "call true" // Call function with arguments
    },      
  }
}

URL pattern

URL patterns are defined as globs, allowing wildcards (*).

Glob	Matches
*	Any URL.
*.example.com	Apex domain and any subdomain, e.g. example.com, www.example.com.
example.com example.org	example.com and example.org.
*.example.com/*/about	E.g. www.example.com/en/about.

Conditions

Conditions start with if, followed by one or more functions. If all functions evaluate to true, the specified actions are run.

Functions

Function	Argument	Description
$()	Query selector	Tests if an HTML element exists.
defined()	JavaScript property	Tests if a JavaScript property exists.
sleep()	Time in milliseconds	Returns true after the specified time has passed

Actions

Actions are run when the condition is met, or if no condition is specified.

Functions

Function	Argument	Description
remove		Remove the HTML element.
removeParent	Number	Remove parent node.
removeIf	String	Remove the HTML element if its text content matches a string.
addClass	Class name	Add a class.
removeClass	Class name	Remove a class.
addStyle	Styles	Appends CSS to the style attribute.
removeStyle		Clears the style attribute.
click		Click the HTML element.
call		Call the function. Any arguments will be passed to the function.