Twitter Bookmarks Extension — Motivation

Twitter/X bookmarks are one of Readwise's most popular integrations, but the Twitter API has become prohibitively expensive ($5K/month) and unreliable — hitting rate limits, token expirations, and struggling with full backfill. A browser extension that replicates X.com's own network requests eliminates API costs entirely, enables full bookmark history backfill, and removes dependency on Twitter API pricing changes.

Twitter Bookmarks Extension — Shape

Entered Shape: 2026-03-03 · Owner: @tristan

Key Decisions

• Move from Twitter API-based bookmark import ($5K/month, hitting rate limits) to a browser extension approach.
• Extension uses service worker to replicate X.com's own GraphQL requests using the user's session cookies — no visible tabs, no API costs.
• Ship as a standalone extension (not built into the existing Readwise extension), consistent with the ChatGPT Import precedent.
• Read-only — only pulls bookmarks, never modifies anything on the user's X account.
• Desktop-only; mobile users continue using the API and get nudged to set up the extension on desktop for full backfill.
• After initial backfill completes, disable API-based import for that user to avoid duplicates.

Scope

• Chrome extension that fetches bookmarks via background service worker.
• Initial full backfill + ongoing periodic sync via Chrome alarms.
• Backend endpoint to receive extension data (PR #8565).
• Settings page: last sync time, manual sync trigger, revoke access.
• Chrome Web Store listing.

Appetite

Small — single engineer (Rasul), with Tristan's spec. Ibai contributed related Twitter articles work.

Twitter Bookmarks Extension — Build (WIP)

This document is underway while the project is in Build. It will be finalized when the stage completes.

Entered Build: 2026-03-17 · Owner: @rasul · Initiative: rw-projects

Goal

Ship a Chrome extension that reliably syncs Twitter/X bookmarks to Readwise and Reader.

What's been done

• Chrome extension built and submitted to Chrome Web Store for review.
• Extension approved for internal (staff-only) testing.
• Backend PR #8565 open for handling extension data.
• Related work: auto-save Twitter articles to Reader (PR #8568, merged Mar 19) and X Articles via API rich_text (PR #8606, merged Mar 20).

What's in progress

• Merging backend PR #8565 for internal testing.
• Internal team testing of the extension.
• Chrome Web Store listing updates (logo, description, screenshots).

What's not done yet

• Broader user rollout.
• Public Chrome Web Store listing.

Open Questions (for next stage)

• Testing coverage — who else on the team will test beyond Rasul?
• Any edge cases with different Twitter account configurations?