Go Back With Backspace is a new browser extension for the Google Chrome web browser by Google that maps back to the Backspace key in the browser.
Google removed backspace back navigation functionality in Chrome 52. Back then the company stated that only 0.04% of page views used the backspace key on the keyboard to navigate back.
The core reason for removing the functionality, besides lack of use, was that some users happened to hit the Backspace key accidentally. Some after filling out form data on sites losing the data in the progress.
Google made the decision to remove the mapping from the backspace key instead of implementing a safeguard (are you sure you want to go back if form data is filled out on a page).
Third party browser extensions like Back to Back were created as a response to bring back the functionality. Additionally, users could make use of the Alt-Left Arrow shortcut to go back, but that was not a suitable alternative for many users who were used to hitting the backspace key to go back.
Go Back With Backspace
Go Back With Backspace is an official extension for Chrome by Google. It brings back the backspace back navigation mapping that Google removed.
The extension brings back the functionality for the most part. Google notes that it won’t work on internal pages starting with chrome:// as well as other special pages. Basically, any page that ships internally with the browser does not support the backspace back navigation functionality.
This is true for all backspace mapping extension that bring back the back navigation functionality though.
Google notes that the extension has to install a tiny bit of code on every page in order to capture backspace key events. This code does not record anything or submit it to Google.
Verdict
Go Back With Backspace adds the same functionality to Chrome that other extensions such as Back to Back add. Functionality is identical, and the only difference is that one is an official extension by Google, while the others are not.
Now You: Where you affected by the removal of the functionality in Chrome?