Skip to content

HoloTab

What it is

HoloTab is an AI browser companion developed by HCompany. It is designed to assist users with web-based tasks and navigation, serving as a proactive agentic layer within the browsing environment.

What problem it solves

It addresses the need for a more integrated and proactive AI assistant within the browser, helping users find information, summarize content, and automate simple browser tasks without switching contexts.

Where it fits in the stack

AI & Knowledge / Browser Companion. It sits at the interface between the user, the browser (Chrome v145+), and the web, often integrating with Claude 4.8, GPT-5.5, and Gemma 3 for complex reasoning tasks.

Typical use cases

  • Assisted Browsing: Getting context or summaries of websites as you visit them.
  • Task Automation: Helping with simple, repetitive web tasks like form filling or data extraction.
  • Information Retrieval: Quickly finding relevant information across multiple open tabs or history via agentic search.

Strengths

  • Proactive Assistance: Designed to assist as you browse rather than just responding to prompts.
  • Integrated Experience: Aims for a seamless fit within the browser workflow via the sidebar and context menus.
  • MCP 3.0 Support: Native integration with the MCP 3.0 Task Protocol for tool-use across the web.

Limitations

  • New Tool: As a relatively new entry, its feature set and stability may be evolving.
  • Platform Dependency: Requires a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave) and specific extension permissions.

When to use it

  • If you are looking for an AI companion that is tightly integrated with your browsing experience.
  • When you want an alternative to standard search engines or standalone chat interfaces for real-time web tasks.

When not to use it

  • If you have strict privacy requirements and are wary of an AI observing your browsing activity.
  • For highly specialized technical tasks that require a more dedicated development environment like VS Code or terminal-based agents.

Getting started

Installation

HoloTab is currently available as a browser extension (Chrome, Edge).

  1. Install the Extension: Download HoloTab from the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Authenticate: Log in with your HCompany account to sync your preferences and history.
  3. Activate: Click the HoloTab icon or use the shortcut Alt + H to open the sidebar.
  4. Prompt: Ask the assistant to help with your current page.

Configuration (MCP 3.0 Task Protocol)

To enable HoloTab to use local tools via the MCP 3.0 Task Protocol, configure the bridge in the extension settings: 

{
  "mcpBridge": {
    "enabled": true,
    "localServers": ["http://localhost:3000"]
  }
}

CLI examples

While primarily a browser tool, HoloTab offers a background service CLI for managing extension state:

# Check HoloTab service status
holotab-cli status

# Clear local context cache
holotab-cli cache clear

API examples

HoloTab can be interacted with via browser-level automation or custom shortcuts:

// Example: Programmatically opening the HoloTab sidebar
window.postMessage({ type: "HOLOTAB_TOGGLE_SIDEBAR" }, "*");

// Example: Sending a snippet to HoloTab for processing via the background script
chrome.runtime.sendMessage("holotab-extension-id", {
  action: "PROCESS_SELECTION",
  text: window.getSelection().toString()
});

Sources / references

Contribution Metadata

  • Last reviewed: 2026-07-21
  • Confidence: high