I Built a Chrome Extension to Sync AI Studio System Instructions. Here's Why chrome.storage.sync Couldn't Do It

Short summary

The author built a Chrome extension to sync Google AI Studio system instructions across devices using Google Drive's AppData folder instead of chrome.storage.sync, which doesn't work for sideloaded extensions. The solution uses UUIDs for identity, tombstone-priority merging, and 30-second polling to ensure eventual consistency without conflicts. The extension is open-source (MIT) with no backend—all data stays in the user's private Google Drive folder.

• •Chrome extensions can't use chrome.storage.sync for sideloaded versions due to different extension IDs per device
• •Solution: Use Google Drive's private AppData folder with UUID-based identity and conflict-resolution through tombstone merging
• •Open-source implementation with 30-second polling, no backend server, and full user privacy

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