The 2025 State of Browser Extension Frameworks: A Comparative Analysis of Plasmo, WXT, and CRXJS
The browser extension development landscape of 2025 is characterized by increasing complexity, driven by the mandatory transition to Manifest V3 (MV3) and persistent cross-browser API inconsistencies. In this challenging environment, a clear market leader has emerged. Analysis of the available frameworks, their feature sets, developer experience, and ecosystem health indicates that **WXT** has established itself as the definitive leading framework for modern browser extension development. This leadership position is founded on its superior developer experience, a robust and flexible feature set, a framework-agnostic architecture that offers broad compatibility, and, most critically, a track record of active and reliable open-source maintenance.