Personal Start Page

Context

Brave's new-tab page is useful for a small set of common shortcuts, but it becomes limiting when the list grows. I wanted a local page that could hold more URLs while keeping related sites together instead of treating them as one undifferentiated grid.

Approach

The page is organized as user-named groups, each with a flexible grid of shortcuts. A small Global group is visible on first use to show the pattern, while the page makes it possible to create categories such as personal shopping, professional work, email, or AI and add as many links as needed.

What happened

The current page works as a personal starting point for opening URLs. Each shortcut shows a favicon, readable title, and domain, while its group supplies the context that a flat list loses.

Working with AI

Codex helped translate a familiar browser feature into a more specific interface: deciding where grouping mattered, keeping the visible controls straightforward, and preserving the distinction between a public demonstration and private user data.

Key details

• Groups can be created, renamed, and removed without a practical limit on the number of shortcuts they hold.
• Shortcuts open in a new tab and show a favicon, title, and domain.
• Personal changes are stored locally in the browser rather than in a shared site database.

Tools and method

The page is a Next.js client component. Shortcut groups are stored in the browser's local storage rather than in a site database, so additions and edits remain on the device and browser where they were made. Favicons are requested directly from each shortcut's own site when a link is displayed; the shortcut data itself is not sent to this site for storage.

Lessons learned

A shortcut list becomes more useful when it reflects intent, not just frequency. Group labels provide just enough structure to make a long collection scanable without turning it into a separate organizational project.

Limitations

The project is still a work in progress. Local browser storage does not automatically sync across browsers or devices, and clearing that browser's site data removes the saved groups. The initial Global set is only a starting point, not a recommendation list.

Next step

Convert the page into a Chromium extension so it can become the browser's new-tab experience, then decide whether exporting, importing, or optional sync would add enough value to justify their added complexity.