Who says breaking things can’t pay off?
I sat down about a month ago to try and build a Chrome extension for Yalla. What better coding practice, I thought, than learning to tie an extension into our app? A tool to let users add priorities from outside Yalla would fit perfectly with our vision of simplifying the workplace.
Turns out it was a bit more complicated than I expected.
Without going into too much detail, let’s just say there were hiccups. It took me ages to get tasks working properly. Adding functionality for clients and other users took quite a while, too. I accidentally added a “ghost client” with no name to the Yalla system that Brian, the lead developer, had to track down and bust.
But after a few long nights and a bit of time off, it happened. So, without further introduction:
Today we’re launching a Chrome extension for Yalla. It lets you send priorities to your board or someone else’s from anywhere on the internet.
Installation is simple. Just head to Yalla’s page on the Chrome web store and click “Install.” It’ll say the extension has access to your history, but don’t worry – it just stores your Yalla API key.
Oh, and about that API key: To access it, click the “Me” menu link at the top of Yalla, then click “Settings.” You’ll find your key in the “Keys” section. You only have to enter it once, when you install the extension.
The extension supports descriptions, tasks, due dates and clients. So, for example, if Jane wants to tell me to finish ACME Client’s website by Friday, she can create the whole priority inside the extension and hit send. As long as you’re logged into Yalla, the extension should work just fine.
It works and looks just like Yalla – and for that I have to thank Brian, the Yalla mastermind himself. He was extremely helpful in explaining the Yalla API (which is how the extension talks to the application) and transforming the ugly first version into a clean, elegant piece of software. Download it yourself and give it a try.
This is all part of our larger strategy at Yalla to make your life simpler. We’re close to launching Yalla on Zapier and offering one-click integrations with services like Gmail, Evernote, MailChimp and more. Brian is hard at work on in-app integrations with marketing tools like Google Analytics. Join our mailing list if you haven’t already to ensure you hear about new features right away.
So, what do you think of the extension? Is it helpful? Have you found a bug? Let me know. I want all the feedback you can throw at me so I can improve it.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go tell my mom about it.