Marketplace develop-userscripts

Use when building, debugging, packaging, or publishing browser userscripts for Tampermonkey or ScriptCat, including GM APIs, metadata blocks, permission issues, @match/@grant/@connect setup, ScriptCat background or scheduled scripts, UserConfig blocks, or subscription workflows.

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/aiskillstore/marketplace
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/aiskillstore/marketplace "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/xixu-me/develop-userscripts" ~/.claude/skills/aiskillstore-marketplace-develop-userscripts && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: skills/xixu-me/develop-userscripts/SKILL.md
source content

Userscript work usually breaks at the runtime and metadata boundary, not in the page logic. Choose the runtime first, declare the minimum permissions up front, then debug in the environment where the script actually runs.

When to Use

Use this skill for:

  • writing or fixing a Tampermonkey or ScriptCat userscript
  • debugging injection timing, missing permissions, CSP workarounds, update checks, or
    GM_*
    behavior
  • deciding between a portable foreground script and ScriptCat-only
    @background
    or
    @crontab
  • adding config UI with
    ==UserConfig==
  • packaging a ScriptCat
    ==UserSubscribe==
    bundle or preparing a CloudCat-compatible script

Do not use this skill for full browser extension development or general browser automation outside userscript managers.

Runtime Selection

digraph userscript_runtime {
    "Need page DOM or page context?" [shape=diamond];
    "Need persistent or scheduled work?" [shape=diamond];
    "Need to install many scripts as one package?" [shape=diamond];
    "Portable foreground script" [shape=box];
    "ScriptCat background or crontab script" [shape=box];
    "ScriptCat subscription package" [shape=box];

    "Need page DOM or page context?" -> "Portable foreground script" [label="yes"];
    "Need page DOM or page context?" -> "Need persistent or scheduled work?" [label="no"];
    "Need persistent or scheduled work?" -> "ScriptCat background or crontab script" [label="yes"];
    "Need persistent or scheduled work?" -> "Need to install many scripts as one package?" [label="no"];
    "Need to install many scripts as one package?" -> "ScriptCat subscription package" [label="yes"];
    "Need to install many scripts as one package?" -> "Portable foreground script" [label="no"];
}

Preflight

  • Confirm the manager and browser. On Manifest V3 browsers, ScriptCat may require
    Allow User Scripts
    or browser developer mode before scripts run.
  • Decide page script versus background script before writing code. ScriptCat background scripts cannot touch the DOM.
  • Start with metadata, not implementation:
    @match
    ,
    @grant
    ,
    @connect
    ,
    @run-at
    , and any update URLs.
  • Prefer portable
    ==UserScript==
    patterns for ordinary page scripts. Only switch to ScriptCat-only headers when the requested behavior actually needs them.

Workflow

  1. Choose the runtime and metadata first.
  2. Declare the smallest permission surface that fits the task.
  3. Implement against the runtime you chose.
  4. Debug where the code really runs.
    • Foreground scripts: page console plus manager logs.
    • ScriptCat background scripts: run log first, then
      background.html
      for real-environment debugging.
  5. Publish with the right update model.
    • Normal scripts: keep
      @version
      accurate and add
      @updateURL
      or
      @downloadURL
      only when needed.
    • Subscription bundles: use
      ==UserSubscribe==
      , HTTPS URLs, and subscription-level
      @connect
      .

Quick Reference

IntentDefault choiceWatch for
Page UI, DOM scraping, page patchingPortable
==UserScript==
@match
,
@grant
,
@run-at
, CSP-sensitive injection
Cross-origin API access
GM_xmlhttpRequest
with explicit
@connect
Missing hosts, cookie behavior differences, user authorization
Long-running workerScriptCat
@background
No DOM, must return
Promise
for async work
Scheduled taskScriptCat
@crontab
Only first
@crontab
counts, prefer 5-field cron, avoid interval overlap
User-editable settings
==UserConfig==
plus
GM_getValue
Block placement and
group.key
naming
Silent bundle install and updates
==UserSubscribe==
HTTPS,
user.sub.js
, subscription
connect
overrides child scripts

Common Mistakes

  • Missing
    @grant
    for APIs the script actually uses.
  • Missing
    @connect
    for hosts used by
    GM_xmlhttpRequest
    or
    GM_cookie
    .
  • Treating
    @include
    as a better default than
    @match
    for ordinary host targeting.
  • Using DOM APIs inside ScriptCat background or cron scripts.
  • Returning from a ScriptCat background script before async GM work is truly finished.
  • Mixing
    ==UserScript==
    and
    ==UserSubscribe==
    packaging concepts.
  • Putting
    ==UserConfig==
    in the wrong place or reading config keys without the
    group.key
    name.
  • Assuming Tampermonkey and ScriptCat storage, notification, or request behavior is identical.

References