Planify - Google Extension

Planify is a Chrome extension that helps you turn any webpage or email into a calendar event. It checks your Google Calendar for conflicts and lets you add or edit events without switching tabs.

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Inspiration

Planify came from a small frustration I kept having. I’d often get event invites through emails or websites and forget to add them to my calendar. It felt repetitive to copy all the details, switch tabs, and check my schedule every time. I wanted to build something that could make that process easier and faster.

What it does

Planify is a Chrome extension that automatically detects event information from any webpage or email. It checks your Google Calendar to show whether you’re available and lets you add or edit events right there, without switching tabs. It’s meant to help people stay organized while browsing without interrupting their flow.

How we built it

We built Planify using a Chrome extension frontend and a Node.js/Express backend. The extension sends webpage content to the backend, which uses Anthropic’s API to extract event details with natural language processing. Then it connects to the Google Calendar API to check for conflicts and availability. We implemented OAuth2 so users can log in securely with their Google account.

Challenges we ran into

Getting Google’s OAuth flow to work inside a Chrome extension was one of the hardest parts. We also struggled with parsing inconsistent event formats from different websites. Debugging CORS issues and keeping the extension lightweight while handling all these features took a lot of testing and iteration.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud that the extension works smoothly across different websites and integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar. Seeing event details automatically appear and being able to add them with one click felt like a big win. It was also satisfying to connect AI, backend logic, and frontend UI all in one project.

What we learned

We learned a lot about how Chrome extensions are structured and how different parts communicate with each other. Implementing OAuth2 and handling API calls securely taught us a lot about authentication. We also got hands-on experience using AI models to extract useful information from messy real-world text.

What's next for Planify

Next, we want to make Planify not just detect events but also suggest what to do during free time slots in the calendar. For example, it could recommend nearby events, study sessions, or personal tasks based on your interests and schedule. The goal is to turn Planify into a smarter assistant that helps you make better use of your time, not just manage it.

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