Auto-Coursera — AI-powered Coursera quiz assistant
Install Auto-Coursera
One terminal command sets up the extension on Chrome, Edge, Brave, and all Chromium browsers — across Linux, macOS, and Windows.
One-command install
Open a terminal and run the command for your platform.
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/sh | shView source — always inspect scripts before running them.
Requires sudo
The install script needs root privileges to write browser policy files.
When piping from curl, the script cannot prompt for your password — it will fail silently.
Run with sudo directly:
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/sh | sudo shOr save and run the script manually:
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/sh -o install.sh && chmod +x install.sh && sudo ./install.shTroubleshooting
curl: command not found— install curl with your package manager (sudo apt install curlon Debian/Ubuntu,sudo dnf install curlon Fedora).Permission denied— the script will ask forsudowhen it needs to write browser policy files. Make sure your user has sudo access.- If Chrome/Brave/Edge isn't detected, the script installs the extension but can't apply the browser policy. See the manual install guide.
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/mac | shView source — always inspect scripts before running them.
May require sudo
The install script writes browser policy files, which may need root privileges. If you get a permission error, run with sudo:
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/mac | sudo shTroubleshooting
- On Apple Silicon Macs, the script works identically — no Rosetta needed.
- If macOS Gatekeeper blocks the script, open System Settings → Privacy & Security and allow the download.
- If the browser doesn't detect the extension after install, restart the browser completely (quit and reopen).
irm autocr.nicx.me/ps | iexView source — run in PowerShell (not Command Prompt).
Troubleshooting
irm: The term 'irm' is not recognized— you need PowerShell 5.1+. Open PowerShell from the Start Menu, not cmd.exe.- If UAC prompts for admin access, click Yes — the script needs it to write browser policy registry keys.
- Windows Defender SmartScreen may warn about the script. Click More info → Run anyway.
Prefer to install via app or as an unpacked extension? See the downloads page →
What happens after install
-
1 Check the terminal output
You'll see a message like "Auto-Coursera installed successfully" in your terminal. If you see errors instead, check the troubleshooting section for your platform above.
-
2 Restart your browser
Close all browser windows (not just the active tab) and reopen. The extension only activates after a full restart.
-
3 Look for the 🎓 button on Coursera
Navigate to any Coursera quiz page. You'll see a small 🎓 graduation cap button (the floating action button) in the bottom-right corner of the page. This button only appears on Coursera pages — you won't see it on other websites.
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4 Set up your API key
Click the 🎓 button to open the control panel, then click the gear/settings icon to open settings. Paste an API key from any supported provider — most offer free tiers.
Prefer to do it yourself? Manual install guide or download installers.
App installers
Prefer a downloadable installer? Platform-specific packages are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Get started in three steps
-
1 Install the extension
Run the command above or download an installer. The script detects your browser and applies the extension automatically.
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2 Add an API key
On any Coursera quiz page, click the 🎓 button in the bottom-right corner, then click the gear/settings icon. Enter an API key from one of the supported AI providers. Free tiers are available. See the setup guide for details.
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3 Open a quiz on Coursera
Navigate to any Coursera quiz page. The extension detects questions automatically and highlights answers with confidence colors.
What permissions does it need?
Auto-Coursera requests only the permissions it needs to function. Here's a quick summary:
| Permission | Why |
|---|---|
activeTab | Read quiz questions from the Coursera page you're viewing |
alarms | Schedule periodic update checks (every 6 hours) |
storage | Save your settings and encrypted API keys locally |
tabs | Open the settings page on first install |
| Coursera hosts | Run the content script on Coursera quiz pages |
| Update server | Check for and download extension updates |
| AI provider APIs | Send quiz questions to the AI provider you configured |
| Image CDNs | Download question images hosted on Coursera's CDNs |
Uninstall
Linux
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/sh | sh -s -- --uninstallmacOS
curl -fsSL autocr.nicx.me/mac | sh -s -- --uninstallWindows
irm autocr.nicx.me/ps-uninstall | iexManual removal
Open your browser's extension management page
(chrome://extensions in Chrome), find
Auto-Coursera, and click Remove. That's it —
no files are left behind in your browser profile.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't this on the Chrome Web Store?
Chrome Web Store policies prohibit extensions that interact with academic content in this way. Auto-Coursera is distributed as a sideloaded extension using browser policy — the same mechanism enterprises use to deploy internal tools. The installer script handles this automatically.
The full source code is available on GitHub. You can audit every line before installing.
Is it really free?
The extension itself is completely free and open source. You provide your own API key for the AI provider, and most providers offer free tiers that are more than enough for quiz use.
Does it auto-update?
Yes. The extension checks for updates every 6 hours and applies them silently via Chromium's built-in extension update mechanism. No action needed on your part.
Can I use it on Firefox?
Not currently. Auto-Coursera uses Chrome extension APIs (Manifest V3) and Chromium-specific features. Firefox support would require a separate build with different APIs.