What Is a Bookmarklet and Which Ones Should You Be Using?

• Access this cheat sheet and revolutionize your browser

You may be wondering, what is a bookmarklet? Well, they are similar to add-ons and browser plug-ins in that they can help you save time in a number of different ways. However, they are different in that they take up much less space. For instance, if you were to download 10 add-ons or plug-ins for your Internet browser, you’d likely realize that the startup time for your browser lags a bit. This is not the case with bookmarklets – you could literally have dozens of them on your browser and it will not slow your computer down. Bookmarklets are also extremely easy to install and even easier to use. Now that you know a little bit about them, here are some bookmarklets that you should consider using right away.

URL Shorteners – Avatar is loaded with shortened URLs, and that is why this is one highly recommended tool. There are many different versions depending on which URL shortener you prefer; take the time to browse this list. In the right-hand column you’ll see which ones offer a bookmarklet. Once you select the one that you like the best, simply drag the appropriate link to your bookmarks toolbar. Once it’s listed there, you’ll only need to click that button each time you want to shorten a URL, right from that page. You’ll instantly be given the new link.

PDF Download – Need to convert a Web page into a PDF file? This bookmarklet does just that, allowing you to print, e-mail, and even save the PDF to your computer. Download this nifty tool.

All-In-One Video – Want to show your friend or coworker what Novartis has been doing on their YouTube channel? Looking to save an informative video you saw on Facebook to your computer? This bookmarklet allows you to easily download the video in .flv or .mp4 format.

These are just a few examples of bookmarklets that will help you easily accomplish tasks that are otherwise more time consuming and complicated. To get a comprehensive list of other bookmarklets, click here.