Privacy Policy — Decode
Last updated: 2026-05-12
Decode is a browser extension that lets you highlight code on any webpage and get a plain-English explanation, powered by a Large Language Model (LLM) of your choice.
This privacy policy explains exactly what data Decode handles and where it goes. We have written it in plain English on purpose — same spirit as the product itself.
TL;DR
- We do not have a server. We do not collect, store, sell, or share any data about you.
- The code you highlight is sent directly from your browser to the LLM provider you chose (Anthropic or Groq), using your own API key.
- Your API key, your settings, and your saved explanations live in your browser’s local storage. They never leave your device except to authenticate against your chosen LLM provider.
What data does Decode handle?
1. Code snippets you highlight
When you trigger “Decode this code” on a selection, the text is sent over HTTPS directly to the LLM provider configured in your settings:
- Anthropic Claude — sent to
api.anthropic.com - Groq Llama — sent to
api.groq.com
The author of Decode receives no copy of this text.
The LLM provider’s own privacy and data-retention policies apply to anything you send through their API. Links:
- Anthropic API privacy policy: https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy
- Groq privacy policy: https://groq.com/privacy-policy/
2. Your API key
You paste your own Anthropic or Groq API key into Decode’s settings. The key is stored in chrome.storage.local on your device. It is never transmitted anywhere except as the Authorization header on requests you initiate to the LLM provider.
3. Your preferences
The model you picked, the default explanation mode, and which provider you use are stored locally in chrome.storage.local. They never leave your device.
4. The page URL where you triggered Decode
Included in the request to the LLM provider as part of the prompt context (e.g. “Source: https://stackoverflow.com/…”), so the model can give better context-aware explanations. Same destinations as #1.
What does Decode not do?
- No analytics, no tracking, no telemetry
- No “phone home” — we have no servers to phone
- No advertising or third-party advertising SDKs
- No selling, renting, or sharing of your data to anyone
- No background activity when you’re not actively using it
- No reading of page content unless you explicitly select text and trigger the extension
Permissions explained
| Permission | What it’s for |
|---|---|
contextMenus |
To register the “Decode this code” right-click menu item. |
storage |
To save your API key, preferences, and explanation history locally on your device. |
sidePanel |
To open the side panel where the explanation is displayed. |
activeTab |
To read your text selection when you trigger the extension on the current tab. |
scripting |
Used by the content script to detect the programming language from page markup. |
Host permission for <all_urls> |
Required because confusing code can appear on any website — GitHub, Stack Overflow, MDN, blogs, docs. We only act on text you explicitly highlight; we do not read or modify page content otherwise. |
Data retention
We do not retain any data — we never receive any to begin with.
Your locally stored settings and explanation history persist until you:
- Uninstall the extension (clears storage automatically), or
- Clear browser data for the extension, or
- Delete entries manually from inside Decode
Data sent to Anthropic or Groq is subject to their retention policies, linked above.
Children’s privacy
Decode is not directed at children under 13. It requires an LLM API key, which both Anthropic and Groq require account holders to be 18+ (or 13+ with parental consent) to obtain.
Changes to this policy
If we change how Decode handles data, we will update this page and bump the “Last updated” date at the top.
Contact
For questions, open an issue at https://github.com/makdia/Decode/issues.
Decode is open source under the MIT license. The source code is the source of truth — you can verify everything in this policy by reading the code at https://github.com/makdia/Decode.