🤝 LinkedIn Auto Connect

A Chrome extension that automates sending connection requests on LinkedIn with optional personalized notes.

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⚠️ Important Disclaimer

USE THIS TOOL RESPONSIBLY!

LinkedIn has daily limits on connection requests (typically 100-200 per day). Excessive or inappropriate use may result in:

• ⛔ Temporary restrictions on your LinkedIn account
• 🚫 Permanent account suspension
• 📛 Being flagged as spam

This tool is for educational purposes and personal productivity only. Always follow LinkedIn's Terms of Service and Professional Community Policies.

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✨ Features

• 🔄 Automatic Connection Requests - Finds and clicks "Connect" buttons automatically
• 📄 Multi-Page Support - Automatically navigates through multiple search result pages
• 📝 Personalized Notes - Add custom messages with name placeholders ({{firstname}}, {{lastname}}, {{fullname}})
• ⚙️ Customizable Settings - Control delays, limits, and automation behavior
• 🛡️ Safety Features - Built-in rate limiting with randomized human-like delays
• 📊 Real-time Statistics - Track connection requests sent in current session
• ⏸️ Pause/Resume - Stop and restart automation at any time
• 🔒 Privacy-First - No data collection, everything stays local
• 🚀 Auto-Injection - Automatically loads content script if missing

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📋 Table of Contents

• Installation
• Quick Start
• Usage Guide
• Configuration
• Personalization
• Safety Tips
• Troubleshooting
• Technical Details
• Contributing
• License

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🚀 Installation

Prerequisites

• Google Chrome browser (version 88 or higher)
• Active LinkedIn account
• Basic understanding of Chrome extensions

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Download the Extension

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/linkedin-auto-connect.git

# Navigate to the directory
cd linkedin-auto-connect

Or download as ZIP and extract to a folder.

2. Create Extension Icons

Create an icons/ folder in the extension directory and add three icon files:

• icon16.png (16x16 pixels)
• icon48.png (48x48 pixels)
• icon128.png (128x128 pixels)

Quick Icon Creation:

• Use any image editor (Paint, GIMP, Photoshop)
• Fill with LinkedIn blue (#0077B5)
• Add white "LN" text or simple design
• Save as PNG

Or use placeholder icons:

# You can use any simple colored square images for testing
# Just name them correctly and place in icons/ folder

3. Load Extension in Chrome

1. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions/
2. Enable "Developer mode" (toggle in top-right corner)
3. Click "Load unpacked"
4. Select the linkedin-auto-connect folder
5. The extension icon should appear in your Chrome toolbar

4. Verify Installation

• Check that extension appears in chrome://extensions/
• Version should show 1.0.1
• Status should show "Enabled"

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🎯 Quick Start

5-Minute Setup

1. Install the extension (see above)
2. Go to LinkedIn - Navigate to any of these pages:
   • Search results: linkedin.com/search/results/people/
   • My Network: linkedin.com/mynetwork/
   • Company employee lists
3. Open the extension - Click the extension icon in Chrome toolbar
4. Configure settings (optional):
   • Leave defaults for first test
   • Or customize delays and limits
5. Click "Start" - Automation begins immediately
6. Monitor progress - Watch the counter update in real-time
7. Click "Stop" when done or when limit is reached

First Test Run

For your first test, use these conservative settings:

• Max per Session: 5-10 connections
• Min Delay: 5 seconds
• Max Delay: 10 seconds
• Add Note: Unchecked (start without notes)

This lets you verify everything works before scaling up.

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📖 Usage Guide

Where to Use the Extension

The extension works on these LinkedIn pages:

✅ Recommended Pages:

• Search results (people search)
• My Network suggestions
• "People You May Know"
• Alumni pages
• Company employee directories
• Conference attendee lists

❌ Not Recommended:

• Individual profile pages (no bulk connect buttons)
• Messaging pages
• Feed/timeline pages

Basic Workflow

1. Navigate to target page on LinkedIn
2. Refresh the page (F5) to ensure content script loads
3. Open extension by clicking the icon
4. Review settings and adjust if needed
5. Click "Start" button
6. Extension will:
   • Find all "Connect" buttons on page
   • Click each button with delays
   • Add notes if enabled
   • Scroll to load more profiles
   • Navigate to next page if enabled
   • Stop when limit reached or no more buttons found
7. Click "Stop" to pause anytime
8. Review statistics to see connections sent

Advanced Usage

Targeting Specific People

1. Use LinkedIn's search filters to narrow results:
   • Location
   • Industry
   • Company
   • School
   • Connections (2nd degree)
2. Start extension on filtered results
3. All visible "Connect" buttons will be processed

Multi-Session Strategy

Morning Session:

• Max 20-30 connections
• Target industry peers
• Use personalized notes

Afternoon Session:

• Max 20-30 connections
• Target different location/industry
• Use different note template

Total: 40-60 connections per day (safe range)

Bulk Connection Campaigns

For larger campaigns (50+ connections):

1. Spread over multiple days
2. Use 5-7 second delays
3. Vary your note templates
4. Target diverse audiences
5. Monitor for any LinkedIn warnings

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⚙️ Configuration

Settings Explanation

Add Custom Note

• Toggle: Enable/disable personalized notes
• Default: Disabled
• Note: Adding notes significantly increases connection acceptance rate
• Limit: LinkedIn allows 300 characters per note

Note Template

• Purpose: Your custom message to connections
• Placeholders: Use {{firstname}}, {{lastname}}, {{fullname}}, or {name}
• Best Practice: Keep it professional, brief, and relevant
• Example: Hi {{firstname}}, I'd love to connect and learn from your experience in {{industry}}!

Auto-Navigate to Next Page

• Toggle: Enable/disable automatic page navigation
• Default: Enabled
• Behavior: Clicks "Next" button when current page is exhausted
• Use Case: Process multiple pages of search results automatically

Min Delay (seconds)

• Range: 2-10 seconds
• Default: 3 seconds
• Purpose: Minimum wait time between actions
• Recommendation: Keep ≥3 seconds for safety

Max Delay (seconds)

• Range: 3-15 seconds
• Default: 7 seconds
• Purpose: Maximum wait time between actions
• Behavior: Random delay between min and max creates human-like pattern

Max per Session

• Range: 1-100 connections
• Default: 20
• Purpose: Limit connections sent in one automation run
• Safety: LinkedIn's daily limit is ~100-200, so keep sessions modest

Scroll Delay (seconds)

• Range: 1-5 seconds
• Default: 2 seconds
• Purpose: Wait time after scrolling to load more content
• Behavior: Allows LinkedIn's infinite scroll to load more profiles

Recommended Settings by Use Case

Conservative (Safest)

Add Note: ✓ Enabled
Min Delay: 5 sec
Max Delay: 10 sec
Max per Session: 10-15
Auto Next Page: ✓ Enabled
Scroll Delay: 3 sec

Best for: First-time users, sensitive accounts

Balanced (Recommended)

Add Note: ✓ Enabled
Min Delay: 3 sec
Max Delay: 7 sec
Max per Session: 20-30
Auto Next Page: ✓ Enabled
Scroll Delay: 2 sec

Best for: Regular use, daily networking

Aggressive (Riskier)

Add Note: ✗ Disabled
Min Delay: 2 sec
Max Delay: 5 sec
Max per Session: 50+
Auto Next Page: ✓ Enabled
Scroll Delay: 1 sec

Best for: Bulk campaigns, experienced users ⚠️ Warning: Higher detection risk

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📝 Personalization

Available Placeholders

The extension supports multiple placeholder formats:

Placeholder	Example Output	Use Case
{{firstname}}	John	Casual, friendly
{{lastname}}	Doe	Formal reference
{{fullname}}	John Doe	Professional, formal
{name}	John	Legacy format (same as firstname)

Note Template Examples

Professional & Brief

Hi {{firstname}}, I came across your profile and was impressed by your work in [field]. Would love to connect!

Industry-Specific

Hello {{firstname}}, I noticed your expertise in software engineering. I'm also in the tech space and would love to expand my network!

Mutual Connection

Hi {{firstname}}, I see we both know [mutual connection]. I'd love to connect and learn more about your work at [company]!

Event/Conference

Hi {{firstname}}, Great meeting you at [event]! Let's stay connected. Looking forward to future collaborations!

Alumni Network

Hello {{fullname}}, Fellow [University] alum here! Would love to connect and share experiences from our time there.

Job Seeking (Use Carefully)

Hi {{firstname}}, I'm exploring opportunities in [industry]. Your career path is inspiring! Would love to connect and learn from your journey.

Best Practices for Notes

✅ DO:

• Keep it under 200 characters
• Be genuine and specific
• Mention common ground (school, company, interest)
• Use proper grammar and spelling
• Personalize beyond just the name
• Make it about them, not you

❌ DON'T:

• Use generic templates for everyone
• Make spelling/grammar errors
• Include sales pitches
• Use ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation!!!
• Send the same message to competitors
• Ask for favors in first message

Fallback Behavior

If the extension can't extract a name from the profile:

• Placeholders are removed from the note
• Message is still sent (if not empty)
• No error or skipped connection
• Check console for debugging info

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🛡️ Safety Tips

LinkedIn's Limits

Limit Type	Approximate Value	Consequence
Daily Invitations	100-200	Temporary restriction
Weekly Invitations	500-700	Warning message
Pending Invitations	3,000 max	Can't send more until accepted/withdrawn
Connection Acceptance Rate	Monitor	Low rate may trigger review

Safe Usage Guidelines

Daily Recommendations

• New accounts (<6 months): 20-30 connections/day
• Established accounts: 50-100 connections/day
• Premium accounts: 100-150 connections/day
• Recruiter accounts: Up to 200 connections/day

Red Flags to Avoid

• ⚠️ Sending too many requests too quickly
• ⚠️ Low acceptance rate (<30%)
• ⚠️ Too many pending invitations
• ⚠️ Connecting with people far outside your network
• ⚠️ Identical messages to many people
• ⚠️ Using minimal delays (<2 seconds)

If You Get Restricted

Symptoms:

• "You've reached the weekly invitation limit" message
• Can't send new invitations
• Warning email from LinkedIn

Actions:

1. Stop immediately - Don't try to circumvent
2. Wait it out - Usually 1-2 weeks
3. Withdraw pending invitations - Frees up your limit
4. Review strategy - Use more conservative settings
5. Diversify approach - Use other networking methods too

Best Practices

1. Vary your timing - Don't automate at same time every day
2. Use realistic delays - 3-7 seconds mimics human behavior
3. Personalize notes - Higher acceptance rate, less spam-like
4. Target relevantly - Connect with people in your industry/interest
5. Monitor acceptance - Low rate (<30%) is concerning
6. Take breaks - Don't run automation for hours straight
7. Spread across days - Better than bulk in one session
8. Engage after connecting - Send follow-up messages, engage with posts
9. Quality over quantity - Better to connect with 20 relevant people than 100 random
10. Stay informed - LinkedIn's policies change, stay updated

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🔧 Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: "Could not establish connection"

Cause: Content script not loaded on LinkedIn page

Solution:

1. Refresh the LinkedIn page (F5)
2. Wait for page to fully load
3. Click "Start" again
4. Extension now auto-injects script, so this should rarely happen

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Issue: "Please navigate to LinkedIn first"

Cause: Not on a LinkedIn page

Solution:

1. Navigate to linkedin.com
2. Go to search results or My Network
3. Then start the extension

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Issue: No "Connect" buttons found

Possible Causes:

• Already connected with everyone visible
• Not on a page with connection buttons
• Need to scroll to load more

Solutions:

1. Manually scroll down to load more profiles
2. Navigate to different LinkedIn page
3. Use search filters to find new people
4. Try My Network page instead

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Issue: Extension stops after 1-2 connections

Cause: Hitting errors or modal dialogs

Solution:

1. Check console (F12 → Console) for errors
2. Verify delays aren't too short
3. Make sure LinkedIn page is stable
4. Try refreshing and restarting

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Issue: Notes not being added

Possible Causes:

• "Add Note" checkbox not enabled
• Note template is empty
• LinkedIn's UI changed

Solutions:

1. Enable "Add custom note" checkbox
2. Verify note template has content
3. Check console for errors
4. Try sending one connection manually first

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Issue: Stats not updating

Cause: Message passing issue between popup and content script

Solution:

1. Keep popup open while running
2. Or check storage: chrome://extensions/ → Extension details → Inspect views: service worker → Application → Storage
3. Refresh extension and try again

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Issue: Automation seems "stuck"

Symptoms: Counter not updating, no activity

Solutions:

1. Wait longer - delays might be longer than expected
2. Check if LinkedIn showed a dialog/modal
3. Look at console for errors
4. Click "Stop" and restart
5. Refresh LinkedIn page

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Issue: "Extension context invalidated"

Cause: Extension was reloaded while running

Solution:

1. Go to chrome://extensions/
2. Reload the extension
3. Refresh all LinkedIn tabs
4. Start automation again

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Advanced Debugging

Enable Detailed Logging

1. Open LinkedIn page
2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools
3. Go to Console tab
4. Look for messages starting with "LinkedIn Auto Connect:"
5. Share these messages when reporting issues

Check Extension Status

// In LinkedIn page console, type:
chrome.runtime.id;
// Should return extension ID, not undefined

Inspect Storage

1. Go to chrome://extensions/
2. Click "Details" on LinkedIn Auto Connect
3. Under "Inspect views" click "service worker"
4. Go to Application tab → Storage → Local Storage
5. View current settings and state

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🏗️ Technical Details

Architecture

linkedin-auto-connect/
├── manifest.json          # Extension configuration (Manifest V3)
├── popup.html            # User interface (350px popup)
├── popup.js              # UI logic, settings management, message handling
├── content.js            # Main automation engine, runs on LinkedIn pages
├── background.js         # Service worker, handles state persistence
└── icons/                # Extension icons (16, 48, 128px)

Technology Stack

• Manifest Version: V3 (modern Chrome extension standard)
• Permissions: storage, activeTab, scripting
• Host Permissions: https://www.linkedin.com/*
• APIs Used:
  • Chrome Storage API (local storage for settings)
  • Chrome Tabs API (active tab communication)
  • Chrome Scripting API (dynamic content script injection)
  • Chrome Runtime API (message passing)

How It Works

1. Initialization

   • Extension loads on Chrome startup
   • Background service worker initializes default settings
   • Content script auto-injects when LinkedIn pages load

2. User Interaction

   • User opens popup, configures settings
   • Settings saved to Chrome local storage
   • User clicks "Start" button

3. Automation Flow

   Popup sends "start" message
          ↓
   Content script receives message
          ↓
   Find all "Connect" buttons on page
          ↓
   For each button:
       - Click "Connect"
       - Wait for modal
       - Add note (if enabled)
       - Click "Send"
       - Random delay
       - Update counter
          ↓
   Scroll page to load more profiles
          ↓
   If auto-next enabled: Click "Next" button
          ↓
   Repeat until max connections reached
          ↓
   Send "completed" message to popup
   

4. Button Detection Algorithm

   • Queries all <button> elements
   • Filters by text content ("Connect")
   • Checks aria-labels for "Connect" or "Invite"
   • Excludes "Following", "Pending", "Message" buttons
   • Verifies button is visible and enabled
   • Creates unique ID per button to avoid duplicates

5. Name Extraction

   • Searches button's parent container (card)
   • Looks for profile name in <span aria-hidden="true">
   • Falls back to profile link text
   • Parses into firstname, lastname, fullname components
   • Handles edge cases (single names, titles, credentials)

6. Note Personalization

   • Replaces placeholders with extracted names
   • Supports multiple placeholder formats
   • Cleans up whitespace from empty replacements
   • Falls back gracefully if name not available

7. Safety Mechanisms

   • Random delays between actions (mimics human behavior)
   • Session limits (prevents excessive automation)
   • Processed button tracking (prevents duplicates)
   • Graceful error handling (continues on failures)
   • Scroll delays (respects page load times)

Message Protocol

Start Automation:

chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, {
  action: "start",
  settings: {
    addNote: boolean,
    noteTemplate: string,
    autoNextPage: boolean,
    minDelay: number,
    maxDelay: number,
    maxConnections: number,
    scrollDelay: number,
  },
});

Stop Automation:

chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, {
  action: "stop",
});

Update Statistics:

chrome.runtime.sendMessage({
  action: "updateStats",
  connectionsSent: number,
  completed: boolean,
});

Ping Check:

chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, {
  action: "ping",
});
// Response: { status: 'ready' }

Storage Schema

{
  addNote: boolean,              // Enable custom notes
  noteTemplate: string,          // Note message template
  autoNextPage: boolean,         // Auto-navigate pages
  minDelay: number,             // Min delay in seconds
  maxDelay: number,             // Max delay in seconds
  maxConnections: number,       // Max per session
  scrollDelay: number,          // Scroll wait time
  isRunning: boolean,           // Current automation state
  connectionsSent: number       // Counter for session
}

Performance Characteristics

• Memory Usage: ~5-10 MB
• CPU Impact: Minimal (only active during automation)
• Network Impact: None (no external requests)
• Page Load Impact: Negligible
• Throughput: 5-12 connections per minute (depending on delays)

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🔒 Privacy & Security

Data Collection

This extension does NOT collect any data.

• ✅ No analytics
• ✅ No tracking
• ✅ No external requests
• ✅ No personal information stored remotely
• ✅ All data stays in browser local storage
• ✅ No third-party services used

Data Storage

Local Storage Only:

• Settings (delays, limits, templates)
• Current automation state
• Connection counter for current session

No Cloud Storage:

• Nothing sent to external servers
• No sync across devices
• No user accounts required

Permissions Explained

Permission	Purpose	Scope
storage	Save settings locally	Local only
activeTab	Access current tab when extension is clicked	Only active LinkedIn tab
scripting	Inject content script dynamically	Only linkedin.com
host_permissions	Run on LinkedIn pages	Only linkedin.com

Security Best Practices

1. Review code - All code is open source and auditable
2. No external dependencies - No third-party libraries that could compromise security
3. Minimal permissions - Only requests necessary permissions
4. Sandboxed execution - Runs in Chrome's extension sandbox
5. No eval() - No dynamic code execution

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here's how you can help:

Reporting Bugs

1. Check existing issues first
2. Include Chrome version and extension version
3. Provide console logs (F12 → Console)
4. Describe steps to reproduce
5. Include expected vs actual behavior

Suggesting Features

1. Open an issue with "[Feature Request]" prefix
2. Describe the use case
3. Explain expected behavior
4. Consider LinkedIn's ToS implications

Pull Requests

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly on LinkedIn
5. Commit with descriptive messages
6. Push to branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
7. Open a Pull Request

Development Setup

# Clone repo
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/linkedin-auto-connect.git
cd linkedin-auto-connect

# Make changes
# Test in Chrome

# Load in Chrome for testing
# chrome://extensions/ → Load unpacked

Code Style

• Use 2 spaces for indentation
• Descriptive variable names
• Comment complex logic
• Follow existing patterns
• Keep functions focused and small

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📜 License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024 [Your Name]

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

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🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with Chrome Extension Manifest V3
• Designed for responsible LinkedIn automation
• Inspired by the need for efficient professional networking
• Created for educational and productivity purposes

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📞 Support

Having Issues?

1. Check Troubleshooting section
2. Review Chrome extension console logs
3. Search existing issues
4. Open a new issue with details

Resources

• LinkedIn Help Center
• Chrome Extension Documentation
• Manifest V3 Migration Guide

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📈 Changelog

v1.0.1 (Current)

• ✅ Fixed "Could not establish connection" error
• ✅ Added automatic content script injection
• ✅ Improved error handling and user feedback
• ✅ Added ping check before starting automation
• ✅ Better loading states in UI

v1.0.0 (Initial Release)

• 🎉 Basic auto-connect functionality
• 📝 Custom note templates with placeholders
• ⚙️ Configurable delays and limits
• 🛡️ Safety features and rate limiting
• 📊 Real-time statistics tracking
• 📄 Multi-page navigation support

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⚖️ Legal & Ethical Considerations

Terms of Service

This extension automates interactions with LinkedIn. Before using:

1. Read LinkedIn User Agreement
2. Review Professional Community Policies
3. Understand potential consequences of automation

Ethical Usage

✅ Ethical:

• Connecting with relevant professionals
• Personalizing connection requests
• Respecting daily limits
• Building genuine network
• Following up after connecting

❌ Unethical:

• Mass spamming connections
• Ignoring rejection/non-response
• Circumventing restrictions
• Misrepresenting yourself
• Harassing others

Disclaimer

The developers of this extension are not responsible for:

• Account restrictions or bans
• Violations of LinkedIn's ToS
• Misuse of the tool
• Spam or harassment
• Any damages resulting from use

Use at your own risk and responsibility.

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🌟 Star History

If this extension helped you, please consider:

• ⭐ Starring the repository
• 🐛 Reporting bugs
• 💡 Suggesting features
• 🤝 Contributing code
• 📢 Sharing with others (responsibly!)

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Made with ❤️ for productive networking

Remember: Quality connections > Quantity of connections

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🔗 Quick Links

• Installation Guide
• Quick Start
• Troubleshooting
• Safety Tips
• Report Bug
• Request Feature

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