Shell Extensions are one of the best things about using GNOME. They let you customize your desktop exactly how you want it. I personally use quite a few to keep my workflow streamlined.
If you are new to this, then we have a detailed guide on using GNOME extensions that covers the basics.
However, maintaining the extension ecosystem isn't easy. The GNOME extensions team reviews every submission for issues and malicious code, a time-consuming process that's gotten harder lately thanks to AI slop.
AI Slop is Not Welcome
GNOME has updated its extension review guidelines to reject AI-generated code. The new rule states that submissions with clear signs of AI generation will not be approved.
This change comes after the team noticed a surge in extensions with unnecessary code patterns. Javad Rahmatzadeh, who reviews extensions for GNOME, mentioned spending over 6 hours some days reviewing more than 15,000 lines of code.
During all that, he found out that unnecessary try-catch blocks were appearing in many new extensions. When he asked the developers about it, they confirmed it was the result of AI usage.
The updated review guidelines now list what will trigger rejection: large amounts of unnecessary code, inconsistent code style, imaginary API usage, comments serving as LLM prompts, and any other indication that the code is AI-generated.
And, to be clear, using AI as a learning tool or for code completions is still allowed. The policy targets developers who generate entire extensions without understanding the code.
This isn't something new. Many projects are taking steps to prevent AI slop from overwhelming existing systems. GNOME's approach is actually really good.
Many new developers are increasingly relying on AI-powered tools to learn, and a blanket ban wouldn't really be constructive, if you ask me.
Via: Phoronix
Suggested Read 📖: Btw, Tiling Shell is my favorite GNOME shell extension.
Sourav Rudra
