This 100%. It will also make your web experience a lot better because so much of the javascript out there just does things you don't want anyway, such as loading ads and displaying popups.
If you are a web developer or are familiar with web terminology like origins, domains, frames, XHR, etc on the web, and are willing to put in some time learning how to use it (15 mins for a seasoned web dev, maybe 30-60 mins otherwise) get uMatrix (https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix). It will change your life! If not, use ScriptBlock on Chrome or NoScript on Firefox. Block all scripts (and if using uMatrix, cookies, XHR, and frames) by default and whitelist as you go for sites you trust (or want to use bad enough to potentially open yourself up for tracking).
In How Facebook tracks you on Android [video]gorhill
uMatrix
JavaScript2014–2025
gorhill / uMatrix · Archived
uMatrix
uMatrix: Point and click matrix to filter net requests according to source, destination and type
102Distinct people
123Mentions
4Explicit recommenders
4.7KGitHub stars
What to know before exploring
What it is
uMatrix: Point and click matrix to filter net requests according to source, destination and type
GitHub
Where it is used
No documented product use was verified in the last source check.
What people are saying
I love uMatrix, but all evidence is that they stopped developing it in 2021. https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix I don't know the implications of that, it's the only tool I've…
neltnerb used a recommendation phrase. 4 indexed comments match. This is a phrase match, not a verdict.
No classified warning is attached to this page. Read the discussions before treating silence as approval.
Also in these discussions
- gorhill/ublock · linked in 17 of the same discussions
- gcarq/inox-patchset · linked in 2 of the same discussions
- gorhill/ubo-extra · linked in 2 of the same discussions
Mentioned in the same Hacker News threads. That is not proof they are substitutes.
This week on Hacker News
Nov 8–Nov 15 UTC · Direct repository links and separately labeled related project stories. Indexed through 11/15/2026, 9:28:18 AM UTC.
No direct repository links were found in the indexed HN discussions over the past seven days. Older discussions are available below.
Mentions over time
HN mentions by year123 dated mentions
Observed mentions: 2014-12-27 13:39:25 UTC to 2025-12-17 19:45:41 UTC.
Counts come from the repository’s dated source evidence. Index cutoff: 2026-11-02 08:16:59 UTC.
View mention counts and date ranges
| Period | Start (UTC) | End (exclusive, UTC) | Mentions | Submissions | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2014-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2015-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2015-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2016-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2016 | 2016-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2017-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 2017 | 2017-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2018-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 2018 | 2018-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2019-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 27 | 1 | 26 |
| 2019 | 2019-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2020-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 2020 | 2020-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2021-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 2021 | 2021-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2022-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 11 | 3 | 8 |
| 2022 | 2022-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2023-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2023 | 2023-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2024-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2024-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2025-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2025-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2026-01-01 00:00:00 UTC | 2 | 0 | 2 |
From the project README
An excerpt from the repository, fetched Nov 13, 2026.
Read the project’s introduction
uMatrix
Definitely for advanced users.
Keep Github issues for actual bugs. User support is /r/uMatrix.
Forked and refactored from HTTP Switchboard.
Install manually the latest release, or install from:
Firefox AMO
To help find issues with ongoing development: uMatrix dev build in Releases (click the latest uMatrix.webext.signed.xpi link of the last pre-resease.)
Chrome store
To help find issues with ongoing development: uMatrix dev build in Chrome store
Opera store
You may contribute with translation work:
For in-app strings, on Crowdin: uMatrix on Crowdin.
For description (to be used in AMO, Chrome store, etc.), submit a pull request. Reference description is here (feel free to improve as you wish, I am not a writer).
HTTP Switchboard's documentation is still relevant, except for uMatrix's differences with HTTP Switchboard.
You may contribute with documentation: uMatrix's wiki.
Warnings
Regarding broken sites
uMatrix does not guarantee that sites will work fine: it is for advanced users who can figure how to un-break sites, because essentially uMatrix is a firewall which works in relaxed block-all/allow-exceptionally mode out of the box: it is not unexpected that sites will break.
So this means do not file issues to report broken sites when the sites are broken because uMatrix does its job as expected. I will close any such issue without further comment.
Using uMatrix logger is key to un-break sites: the logger will show you all that uMatrix does internally.
I expect there will be community driven efforts for users to help each others. If uMatrix had a home, I would probably set up a forum, but I do not plan for such thing, I really just want to code, not manage web sites. If you need help to un-break a site when using uMatrix, you can try Wilders Security, where you are likely to receive help if needed, whether by me or other users.
uMatrix can be set to work in allow-all/block-exceptionally mode with a single click on the all cell in the global scope *, if you prefer to work this way. This will of course break less sites, but you would then lose all the benefits which comes with block-all/allow-exceptionally mode -- though you will still benefit from the 62,000+ blacklisted hostnames by default.
License
GPLv3.
Read the full README on GitHubWhat Hacker News says
27 sourcesUhm, well, its just the basic way one would use uMatrix so nothing special. It's an add-on that works by whitelisting instead of blacklisting, similar to NoScript.
In this case I had it set up to allow all subdomains of google, so I opened the panel and clicked to blacklist the subdomain that I didn't want.
EDIT: The only downside of this is that if I want to use Google Hangouts in the same browser, it is now blocked, so I have to manually unblock it. But I use Firefox as my main browser, yet reserve hangouts to Chromium anyway.
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix/wiki
In Ask HN: Anyone else find the new Gmail interface sluggish?https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix/wiki/The-popup-panel <- CSS is a column
In Changing Our Approach to Anti-TrackingWorks for me, don't know if my savior is uBlock Origin, uMatrix, or I Don't Care About Cookies...
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
https://www.i-dont-care-about-cookies.eu/
In India’s Aadhaar Software Hacked, ID Database Compromised, Experts ConfirmYou can disable images in some mobile browsers (e.g. firefox for android) [0]. That significantly knocks down the size of pages. I have mine set to only load images when on a wifi connection.
If you can use a desktop browser tethered through your mobile data connection, you can use the extension uMatrix [1] to selectively block scripts, css, images, outbound requests, and more. This would allow you to turn most pages into lightweight, text-only pages.
[0] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/block-or-load-images-ov...
[1] https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
In Ask HN: What are some of the best text-only websites?The author is the same as uBlock Origin; here is the repo:
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
From the wiki page, there are many useful FAQ/ guides/ docs. Specifically, there is a link to a decent guide:
http://adamantine.me/index.php/2015/11/18/umatrix-desperatel...
edit: using both is redundant
In GDPR Version of USA Today Is 500KB Instead of 5.2MBI good compromise is uMatrix, which by default only allows first-party JavaScript and cookies and makes it easy to quickly enable JavaScript/XDR/cookies when necessary using a point and click matrix:
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
In GDPR Version of USA Today Is 500KB Instead of 5.2MBTry uMatrix: https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
Super simple web connection switchboard by Gorhill (person behind uBlock Origin).
It allows you to assign certain addresses and elements to block calls from/to. For example 'www.google-analytics.com'. I use it as a catch-all when loading a web page, then release elements that I want to load.
In Mortgage rates have been rising at a pace not seen in almost 50 yearsI'm of the opinion that "mastering" uMatrix pays off heaps. Do you use the Scope Selector, like in this wiki example?
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix/wiki/Scope-selector
In Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’You can also try "Inox Browser"[1] based on Chromium but with security/privacy patches. With extensions like "uBlock0 (Origin)"[2], "uMatrix"[3].
[1] https://github.com/gcarq/inox-patchset
[2] https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock
[3] https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
Optionally, unrelated to security you can try "Dark Reader" extension, which makes all sites darker ^_^ Especially useful with darker themes.
In Firefox can now stop Instagram and Facebook from tracking you onlineAny site with forced popups or forced video auto-playing is black listed ... I don't visit it again ever!
Any site says to me to stop my ad-blocker ... also black listed ... I don't need their online garbage ... I am already paying money to access their online crap!
For Youtube channel's home forced video auto-play ... I skip it ... and usually I move directly to the channel's videos listing page bypassing the channel's home page!
I HATE forcing videos or stupid content or large images on users! and I consider it "Online Abuse" and disrespect to the visiting users!
Also not only I use Ad-block ... I use uBlock https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock with "Block media elements larger than" 100KB !!
If anyone knows how to block Youtube Channel's Home video autoplay please tell me how, maybe uMatrix will help https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix ...
Read the rest
I didn't try uMatrix, will try it soon!
I do that every day with uMatrix[1], only overriding hosts when needed. I also turn off all CSS animation with Stylus.[2] The Web is becoming unusable without that.
[1] https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
[2] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/styl-us/
In Using the Web for a Day with JavaScript Turned OffCreate a block (red) rule for `script` in global scope. I wrote is a guide for this, "How to block 1st party scripts everywhere by default" (link below)
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix/wiki/How-to-block-1st-par...
In VS Code can do that?Have one but never needed it so far - or it didn't catch the virii ;)
I use bitdefender at least it's quite unobtrusive on mac (sick of the windows version!).
Sophos is free and afaik not too bad if you need one: https://home.sophos.com/free-mac-antivirus
Further I use:
- https://objective-see.com/products/knockknock.html
- https://objective-see.com/products/oversight.html
- https://objective-see.com/products/blockblock.html
and Little Snitch
- https://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html
and Firefox with
- https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
- https://github.com/gorhill/ublock
Hope that keeps the pest away ;)
In Ask HN: Is no anti-virus software still best practice for mac?uMatrix should fix that.
https://github.com/gorhill/uMatrix
In New in Chrome 66Showing the 15 most recent of 27 sources. Enable JavaScript to search and browse every indexed mention.