Bitcoin Sales

Chrome extension screenshot

Inspiration

I've always been a big fan of Bitcoin, and I wanted to create something fun that could help people stay motivated to HODL through the ups and downs. Even though I'm mostly an embedded systems guy and not a frontend dev at all, I thought, why not try making my first Chrome extension? It seemed like a fun challenge, and I liked the idea of having a small, lightweight tool to remind people when Bitcoin is "on sale" or heading to the moon.

What it does

Bitcoin Sale is a simple Chrome extension that checks the latest Bitcoin price and tells you whether it's "On Sale" (big price drop), "HODL Mode" (price is stable), or "To the Moon" (big price pump). It also shows a random slogan inspired by the culture of Bitcoiners, Cypherpunks, and Hackers. Plus, it updates the Chrome extension badge with the Bitcoin price in thousands, so you can quickly glance at it.

How we built it

I used JavaScript, HTML, and CSS (definitely out of my comfort zone) and fetched real-time Bitcoin data from the free CoinGecko's API. The trickiest part was setting up real-time communication between the popup window and the background script to keep the price updated smoothly. I also added a "demo mode" for testing, so the extension cycles through different price scenarios without needing live data.

Challenges we ran into

Since this was my first time working with a Chrome extension, I had to figure out how to get background scripts, popups, and API calls to work together. Making sure the price updates reliably and formatting the badge text correctly took some trial and error. Also, keeping the UI simple while making it fun and engaging was an interesting balance.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built my first Chrome extension from scratch!
Got real-time price updates working with smooth badge text updates.
Created a fun, Bitcoin-themed tool that might actually help people stay focused on the long game and avoid panic selling.