Developer Log Made by Rehan Bharwani Jun 10, 2026
I wanted a new tab page that could do everything instantly, without unnecessary API roundtrips or bloated loading screens. SearchWorm is the result. It is an all-in-one productivity search engine designed strictly to optimize developer workflows directly from the browser's new tab page.
Instead of clicking through bookmarks or navigating to specific sites before typing a query, SearchWorm supports instant site-specific searches via "bangs". Typing `!yt` instantly queries YouTube, `!gh` queries GitHub repositories, and `!r` searches Reddit. By intercepting the search input in JavaScript and parsing the string, the app constructs the correct URL and redirects the user in milliseconds.
Beyond searching, I wanted SearchWorm to handle micro-tasks without opening new applications. Need a timer? Type `timer 5m` into the search bar, and SearchWorm instantly renders an interactive countdown clock right below the input. Need to preview a hex color? Type `#ff6600`, and the background smoothly transitions to that color. The entire application runs entirely client-side, heavily utilizing HTML5 Canvas and DOM manipulation APIs to execute these widgets.
Furthermore, it stores your most frequent and recent searches directly in LocalStorage. This means the app has zero backend dependency, rendering perfectly offline and providing lightning-fast, auto-completing search suggestions instantly upon opening a new tab.
Tech Stack: JavaScript, LocalStorage, HTML5 APIs, DOM Parsing.