Google Chrome is a free web browser developed by Google. It was first released in September 2008, for Microsoft Windows, and then ported to Linux, macOS, iOS and Android. Google Chrome is also a major component of Chrome OS, where it serves as a platform for running web applications.
Google releases most of Chrome's source code as a Chromium open source project; however, Chrome itself is a proprietary software. One component that is not open-source is the default Adobe Flash Player (that Chrome has been disabled by default since September 2016). Chrome uses the WebKit layout engine up to version 27. Starting version 28, all Chrome ports except iOS ports use Blink, Webkit engine fork.
By 2018, StatCounter estimates that Google Chrome owns 66% of worldwide usage share from web browsers as desktop browsers. It also has 56% market share on all combined platforms, as it has a share of more than 50% on smartphones; and thus Chrome is the most widely used browser in almost all countries (mostly exceptions in Africa). Its success has led Google to extend the "Chrome" brand in various other products such as Chrome OS, Chromecast, Chromebook, Chromebit, Chromebox and Chromebase.
Video Google Chrome
History
Google CEO Eric Schmidt opposes the development of an independent web browser for six years. He stated that "at the time, Google was a small company," and he did not want to go through a "bruised browser war." After co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page hired several Mozilla Firefox developers and built a demonstration of Chrome, Schmidt admitted that "It was so good that it basically forced me to change my mind."
Google's rumors of building a web browser first appeared in September 2004. Online journals and US newspapers stated at the time that Google recruited former Microsoft web developers among others. It also came shortly after the release of the final 1.0 of Mozilla Firefox, which soared in popularity and took market share from Internet Explorer, which is suffering from major security problems.
Announcement
The release announcement was originally scheduled for September 3, 2008, and comics by Scott McCloud will be sent to reporters and bloggers explaining the features in the new browser. A copy destined for Europe was sent early and German blogger Philipp Lenssen from Google Blogoscoped made a scanned copy of 38 comic pages available on his website after receiving it on September 1, 2008. Google then made the comic available on Google Books and mentioned it on the blog officially along with their explanations for the initial release. The product was allegedly named "Chrome" because Google wanted to minimize chrome browser, although this meaning was added somewhat post-hoc, 'codename' before the release was chosen from the connotation of speed.
Public release
The browser was first released to the public on September 2, 2008 for Windows XP and later, with 43 languages ââsupported, officially the beta, and as a stable public release on December 11, 2008.
On the same day, CNET news articles drew attention to the inside of the Terms of Service statement for the initial beta release, which seemed to license Google for all content transferred through the Chrome browser. This section is inherited from the general Google terms of service. Google responds to this criticism immediately by stating that the language used is borrowed from other products, and removes this section of the Terms of Service.
Chrome quickly gained about 1% of usage share. After the initial spike, the share of use dropped to a low of 0.69% in October 2008. It then started up again and in December 2008, Chrome again crossed the 1% threshold.
In early January 2009, CNET reported that Google plans to release Chrome versions for OS X and Linux in the first half of this year. Official preview of the first official Chrome OS X and Linux was announced on June 4, 2009, with a blog post saying they lost a lot of features and meant for initial feedback rather than general use.
In December 2009, Google released a beta version of Chrome for OS X and Linux. Google Chrome 5.0, announced on May 25, 2010, is the first stable release to support all three platforms.
Chrome is one of twelve browsers offered to users of the European Economic Area from Microsoft Windows in 2010.
Development
Chrome is collected from 25 different code libraries from Google and third parties such as Mozilla Netscape Portable Runtime, Network Security Services, NPAPI (down on version 45), Skia Graphics Engine, SQLite, and a number of other open source projects. The JavaScript V8 virtual machine is considered an important enough project to be separated (such as Adobe/Mozilla's Tamarin) and is handled by a separate team in Denmark coordinated by Lars Bak in Aarhus. According to Google, existing implementations are designed "for small programs, where system performance and interactivity is not so important", but web apps like Gmail "use full web browsers when it comes to DOM and JavaScript manipulation", and therefore will significantly the benefits of a JavaScript engine that can work faster.
Chrome initially used the WebKit rendering engine to display web pages. In 2013, they released a WebCore component to make Blink their own machine layout. Under WebKit, Blink only uses WebKit's "WebCore" component, while replacing other components, such as its own multi-process architecture, in lieu of the original WebKit implementation.
Chrome is internally tested with unit testing, "automatic user interface testing of script-protected user actions", fuzz testing, and WebKit layout tests (99% of which Chrome claims to have graduated), and against websites generally accessible inside Google index in 20-30 minutes.
Google creates Gears for Chrome, which adds features for web developers typically associated with building web apps, including offline support. Google is gradually removing Gears because the same functionality is available in HTML5 standards.
On January 11, 2011, Chrome product manager Mike Jazayeri announced that Chrome would remove the H.264 video codec support for its HTML5 player, arguing the desire to bring Google Chrome more in line with the currently available open codecs available on Chromium projects , which is based on Chrome. However, on November 6, 2012, Google released a version of Chrome on Windows that added hardware accelerated H.264 video decode. In October 2013, Cisco announced that the open source codec is H.264 and will cover all the necessary costs.
On February 7, 2012, Google launched Google Chrome Beta âââ ⬠<â ⬠for Android 4.0 devices. On many new devices with Android 4.1 and pre-installed Chrome is the default browser.
In May 2017, Google announced the Chrome version for augmented reality and virtual reality devices.
Version history
Maps Google Chrome
Features
Google Chrome features a minimalist user interface, with the principle of a user interface that is then implemented into other browsers. For example, merge the address bar and the search bar into omnibox . Chrome also has a reputation for strong browser performance.
Bookmarks and sync settings
Chrome allows users to sync their bookmarks, history, and settings across all devices with a browser installed by sending and receiving data through the selected Google Account, which in turn updates all instances of incoming Chrome. This can be authenticated via Google credentials, or a sync passphrase.
Web default support
The first release of Google Chrome passed the Acid1 and Acid2 tests. Starting with version 4.0, Chrome has passed all aspects of the Acid3 test.
As of May 2011, Chrome has excellent support for JavaScript/ECMAScript in accordance with the ECMAScript standard ECM Standard Conformance Test 262 (ES5.1 version May 18, 2012). This test reports as the final score of the number of failed tests of the browser; then a lower score is better. In this test, Chrome version 37 scored 10 failed/11578. In comparison, Firefox 19 scored 193 failed/11752 pass and Internet Explorer 9 had a score of 600 failed, while Internet Explorer 10 had a score of 7 failed.
In 2011, on the official test device CSS 2.1 by W3C standardization organization, WebKit, Chrome rendering engine, escaped 89.75% (89.38% of the 99.59% covered) CSS test 2.1.
In testing HTML5 web standards, Chrome 41 scored 518 out of 555 points, placing it in front of the top five most popular desktop browsers. Chrome 41 on Android 510 score of 555 points. Chrome 44 got a score of 526, just 29 points smaller than the maximum score.
Security
Chrome periodically picks up two blacklisted updates (one for phishing and one for malware), and warns users when they try to visit sites marked as potentially harmful. This service is also provided for use by others through a free public API called "Google Safe Browsing API".
Chrome uses a process-allocation model to the sandbox tab. Using the smallest privilege principle, each tab process can not interact with important memory functions (such as OS memory, user files) or other tab processes - similar to Microsoft's "Safety Mode" used by Internet Explorer 9 or later. The Sandbox team is said to have "taken the limit of this existing process and made it into jail." This enforces a computer security model where there are two levels of multilevel security ( users
Since 2008, Chrome has been blamed for not entering a master password to prevent casual access to the user's password. Chrome developers have indicated that the master password does not provide real security against the specified hacker and has refused to implement it. The bug filed on this issue has been marked "WontFix". In February 2014, the Windows version prompted the user to enter the Windows account password before displaying the saved password.
In January 2015, TorrentFreak reported that using Chrome while connected to the internet using VPN can be a serious security issue because of browser support for WebRTC.
On September 12, 2016, it was reported that starting with Chrome 56, users will be warned when they visit an unsafe HTTP website to encourage more sites to transition to HTTPS.
Security vulnerabilities
No security vulnerabilities in Chrome are exploited in Pwn2Own's three years from 2009-2011.
In Pwn2Own 2012, Chrome is defeated by a French team that uses a zero-day exploit in Flash version that ships with Chrome to fully control a fully patched Windows 7 64-bit PC using a trap-fraudulent website that overcomes the Chrome sandbox.
Chrome was infiltrated twice on Pwnium CanSecWest 2012. Google's official response to the exploitation was delivered by Jason Kersey, who congratulated the researchers, saying, "We also believe that both works are works of art and are entitled to a wider share and recognition. " Repairs to this vulnerability are deployed within 10 hours of submission.
Significant security vulnerabilities in Chrome occur in Adobe Flash Player. For example, in the successful attack Pwn2Own 2016 in Chrome depends on four security vulnerabilities. Two vulnerabilities are in Flash, one in Chrome, and one in the Windows kernel. In 2016, Google announced that it plans to stop Flash Player in Chrome, starting from version 53. The first phase of its plan is to disable Flash for ads and "background analysis", with the ultimate goal of disabling it entirely by the end of the year, except on the site certain that Google deems to be corrupted without it. Flash will then be reactivated with ad exclusions and background analysis on a site-by-site basis.
Leaked documents published by WikiLeaks, codenamed Vault 7 and dated from 2013-2016, describe the capabilities of the CIA, such as the ability to infiltrate a web browser (including Google Chrome).
Malware blocking and ad blocking
Google introduced the protection of download scans on Chrome 17. In February 2018, Google introduced an ad blocking feature based on recommendations from the Interactive Advertising Agency. Sites that use invasive advertisements are warned 30 days, after which their ads will be blocked. Consumer Reports recommends users install a special ad blocking tool instead, which offers increased security against malware and tracking.
Plugins
- Chrome support, up to version 45, is a plug-in with the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI), so plug-ins (eg Adobe Flash Player) run as a separate, unlimited process outside the browser and can not be -sandbox as tab. ActiveX is not supported. Since 2010, Adobe Flash has become an integral part of Chrome and does not need to be installed separately. Flash keeps updated as part of Chrome's own updates. Java applet support is available in Chrome with Java 6 update 12 and above. Support for Java under OS X is provided by Java Update which was released on May 18, 2010.
- On August 12, 2009, Google introduced a more portable and secure NPAPI replacement called Pepper Plugin API (PPAPI). The default PPAPI Flash Player (or Pepper-based Flash Player) is available in Chrome OS first, then replaces the NPAPI Flash Player on Linux from Chrome version 20, on Windows from version 21 (which also reduces Flash crashes by 20%), and finally comes to OS X in version 23.
- On September 23, 2013, Google announced that it would denounce and remove NPAPI support. NPAPI support has been removed from Linux in Chrome 35 release. NPAPI plugin like Java can no longer work in Chrome (but there is a solution for Flash by using PPAPI Flash Player in Linux including Chromium).
- On April 14, 2015, Google released Chrome v42, disable NPAPI by default. This makes plugins that do not have PPAPI plugin plugins incompatible with Chrome, such as Java, Silverlight, and Unity. However, NPAPI support can be enabled via chrome://flags menu, until release of version 45 in September 2015, which completely removes NPAPI support.
Privacy
Incognito mode
A personal search feature called Incognito mode prevents the browser from permanently storing historical information, cookies, site data, or form input. Downloaded files and bookmarks will be saved. In addition, user activity is not hidden from websites visited or internet service providers.
Incognito mode is similar to the private browsing feature in other web browsers. This does not prevent storage in all windows: "You can switch between an incognito window and any regular windows you've opened. You'll only be in incognito mode when you're using incognito windows."
Listening capabilities
In June 2015 the Debian developer community found that Chromium 43 and Chrome 43 were programmed to download the Hotword Shared Module , which enabled Google's voice recognition extensions, even by default "inactive". This raises the issue of privacy in the media. Modules deleted in Chrome 45, released on September 1, 2015 and only on Chrome 43 and 44.
User tracking issues
Chrome sends details about its users and activities to Google via optional and optional user tracking mechanisms.
Some tracking mechanisms can be optionally enabled and disabled through the installation interface and through the browser options dialog. Unofficial buildings, such as SRWare Iron, attempt to remove these features from the browser altogether. The RLZ feature is not included in the Chromium browser.
In March 2010, Google devised a new method for collecting install statistics: the unique ID token that is included with Chrome is now only used for the first connection Google Update made to its servers.
The optional suggestion service included in Google Chrome has been criticized for providing information typed into Omnibox to search providers before users even reply back. This allows search engines to provide URL suggestions, but also provides them with web usage information associated with IP addresses.
Optional features for using web services to help resolve spelling errors have privacy implications.
Do Not Track
In February 2012, Google announced that Chrome would implement the Do Not Track (DNT) standard to advertise websites not to be tracked. This protocol is implemented in version 23. As per the W3 draft standard for DNT, it is turned off by default in Chrome.
Speed ââ
JavaScript virtual engine used by Chrome, the JavaScript V8 engine, has features like dynamic code generation , hidden class transitions , and proper garbage collection .
In 2008, several websites performed benchmark tests using the Benzmark JavaScript SunSpider tool as well as a powerful set of Google benchmarks, including ray tracking and constraint settlement. They unanimously report that Chrome performs much faster than all tested competitors, including Safari (for Windows), Firefox 3.0, Internet Explorer 7, Opera, and Internet Explorer 8. However, on October 11, 2010, an independent test of JavaScript Performance , Chrome has printed just behind the Opera Presto machine because it is updated in version 10.5.
On September 3, 2008, Mozilla replied by stating that their own TraceMonkey JavaScript engine (later in beta), is faster than Chrome's V8 engine in some tests. John Resig, Mozilla's JavaScript evangelist, further commented on the performance of various browsers in Google's own suite, commenting on Chrome's "destruction" from other browsers, but he questioned whether the Google suite is representative of the real program. He stated that Firefox 3.0 performs poorly on recursive-intensive benchmarks, such as Google, because the Mozilla team has not yet implemented a track record.
Two weeks after the launch of Chrome in 2008, the WebKit team announced a new JavaScript engine, SquirrelFish Extreme, citing a 36% speed increase over the Chrome V8 engine.
Like most major web browsers, Chrome uses DNS prefetching to speed up website searches, just like other browsers like Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer (called DNS Pre-resolution), and in Opera as UserScript (not installed).
Chrome previously used SPDY protocols that are no longer used, not just HTTP when communicating with servers that support them, such as Google services, Facebook, Twitter. SPDY support was deleted in Chrome version 51.
Stability
Multi-process architecture is applied in Chrome, where, by default, separate processes are allocated to each site and plugin. This procedure is called process isolation, and prevents the task of interfering with each other, improving security and stability. An attacker who managed to gain access to one application did not gain access to another, and a failure in one instance resulted in a screen of Sad Tab , similar to the famous Sad Sad , but only one tabs that crash instead of the entire app. This strategy requires the cost of per-process stays ahead, but produces less memory increase over time because fragmentation is limited to each event and no longer requires further memory allocation. This architecture is adopted in Safari and Firefox.
Chrome includes a process management utility called Task Manager that lets users view which sites and plugins use the most memory, download the most bytes, and excess CPU use and provides the ability to stop them. Chrome version 23 ensures users of better battery life for systems that support Chrome's accelerated GPU video decoder.
User interface
By default, the main user interface includes back, forward, refresh/undo and menu buttons. The home button is not displayed by default, but can be added through the Settings page to take the user to a new tab page or a custom home page.
Tabs are a major component of the Chrome user interface and thus, have been moved to the top of the window rather than under control. This subtle change contrasts with many existing tabbed browsers that are based on windows and contain tabs. Tabs, with their status, can be transferred seamlessly between window containers by dragging. Each tab has its own set of controls, including Omnibox .
The Omnibox is a URL box that combines the functions of both address bar and search box. If a user enters the URL of a previously searched site, Chrome allows pressing Tab to search the site again directly from the Omnibox. When users start typing in the Omnibox, Chrome provides suggestions for previously visited sites (based on URLs or in-page text), popular websites (not necessarily visited previously - powered by Google Instant), and popular searches. While Instant can be turned off, suggestions based on previously visited sites can not be turned off. Chrome will also automatically complete the URLs of frequently visited sites. If a user enters a keyword into an Omnibox that does not match a previously visited website and presses enter, Chrome will perform a search using the default search engine.
One feature that distinguishes Chrome is the New Tab page , which can replace the browser home page and display when new tabs are created. Initially, it shows thumbnails of the nine most visited websites, along with frequent searches, recent bookmarks, and recently closed tabs; similar to Internet Explorer and Firefox with Google Toolbar, or Opera Quick Call. In Google Chrome 2.0, the New Tab Page has been updated to allow users to hide thumbnails they do not want to display.
Starting in version 3.0, New Tab Page changed to show thumbnails of the eight most visited websites. Thumbnails can be rearranged, embedded, and deleted. Alternatively, a list of text links can be displayed instead of a thumbnail. It also has a "Recently closed" bar that shows recently closed tabs and a "tips" section showing instructions and tricks for using the browser.
Chrome includes a bookmark sub menu that includes user bookmarks, provides easy access to Chrome Bookmark Manager, and allows users to enable the bookmarks bar on or off.
For web developers, Chrome displays an inspector element, similar to the browser extension in Firebug, allowing users to view the DOM and see what shapes web pages.
Chrome has a custom URL that contains an app-specific page instead of a website or file on disk. Chrome also has the default ability to enable experimental features. Originally named about: labs
, the address is changed to about: flags
to make it less clear to ordinary users.
In March 2011, Google introduced a simplified new logo to replace the previous 3D logos that had been used since the beginning of the project. Google Designer Steve Rura explains the company's reason for the change: "Since Chrome is about making your web experience as easy and chaos free, we refresh Chrome icons to better represent this sentiment.A simpler icon embodies the spirit of Chrome - to make the web faster, lighter , and easier for all. "
In September 2013, Google started creating the Chrome app "For your desktop." This means offline access, desktop shortcuts, and less dependency on Chrome. They launch in a window separate from Chrome, and look more like the original app.
Desktop shortcuts and apps
Chrome lets users create local desktop shortcuts that open web apps in the browser. The browser, when opened in this way, does not contain a regular interface except for the title bar, so as not to "interfere with whatever the user is trying to do". This allows web applications to run with local software (similar to Mozilla Prism and Fluid).
This feature, according to Google, will be upgraded with the Chrome Web Store, the one-stop web-based web application directory that opened in December 2010.
Chrome Web Store
Announced on December 7, 2010, the Chrome Web Store allows users to install web apps as an extension to the browser, though most of these extensions serve only as links to popular web pages and/or games, but some applications like Springpad provide additional features like offline access. Themes and extensions have also been tightly integrated into the new store, allowing users to search through all of Chrome's additional catalogs.
The Chrome Web Store opened on February 11, 2011, with the release of Google Chrome 9.0.
Extensions
The Google Chrome extension is a browser extension that modifies Google Chrome. This extension is written using web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. They are distributed through the Chrome Web Store (formerly Google Chrome Extensions Gallery). All users with a Google Account can add an extension after expanding it. Many Chrome extensions, once installed, have access to user data. There are three permission levels that apps or extensions may require.
On September 9, 2009, Google enabled extensions by default on Chrome's developer channel, and provided some sample extensions for testing. In December, the Google Chrome Extensions Gallery beta starts with about 300 extensions. Launched on January 25, 2010 along with Google Chrome 4.0, contains about 1500 extensions.
On May 27, 2014, Google issued an update to Chrome that prevents Windows users from installing extensions obtained outside of the Chrome Web Store.
Important example
Themes
Starting with Google Chrome 3.0, users can install themes to change the look of the browser. Many free third-party themes are provided in the online gallery, accessible via the "Get themes" button in Chrome options.
Automatic webpage translation
Starting with Google Chrome 4.1 the app adds a built-in translation bar using Google Translate. Translation is currently available for 52 languages. When Chrome detects a foreign language other than the user's chosen language as specified during the installation time, it asks the user to translate or not.
Release channels, cycles, and updates
The first production release on December 11, 2008 marks the end of the initial Beta testing period and the start of Production. Shortly thereafter, on January 8, 2009, Google announced a new release system with three channels: Stable (in accordance with traditional production), Beta, and Developer preview (also called "Dev" channels). Where before there were only two channels: Beta and Developer, now there are three. Simultaneously, all Developer channel users are moved to the Beta channel along with the promoted Developer release. Google explains that developers now build channels will be less stable and polished than those from the early Google Chrome Beta period. Beta users can choose to go back to the Developer channel as desired.
Each channel has its own release cycle and level of stability. The Stable channel is updated approximately quarterly, with features and fixes that pass the "thorough" test in the Beta channel. Beta is updated approximately every month, with "stable and complete" features migrated from the Developer channel. The Developer Channel is updated once or twice per week and where ideas and features first open to the public "(and sometimes fail) and can sometimes be very unstable". [Quoted information from Google policy announcement.]
On July 22, 2010, Google announced it would increase the speed of launching a new stable version; abbreviated release cycle from three to six weeks for major Stable updates. The beta channel release is now more or less the same as the Stable release, although about a month before, while the Dev channel release appears approximately once or twice a week, allowing time for basic critical release testing. This faster release cycle also carries the fourth channel: the "Canary" channel, updated daily from a build produced at 09:00 UTC from the most stable of the last 40 revisions. His name refers to the practice of using canary in a coal mine, so if there is a "kill" Chrome Canary change, it will be blocked from migrating to the Developer channel, at least until repaired in the next Canary building. The Canary is "the bloodiest and somewhat mixed version of Chrome's Chrome between Chrome dev and the created Chromium snapshot." Canary release runs side by side with other channels; it's unrelated to other Google Chrome installations and therefore can run different browser sync, theme, and preferences profiles. This ensures that the fallback function remains even when some Canary updates may contain bugs that break the release. This does not include the option to be the default browser, though on OS X it can be set through System Preferences. Canary is Windows only at first; OS X version was released on May 3, 2011.
The beta channel Chrome for Android launches on January 10, 2013; such as Canary, it runs side by side with stable channels for Android. Chrome Dev for Android launches on April 29, 2015.
All Chrome channels are automatically distributed according to their respective release cycles. Different mechanisms based on platform. On Windows, using Google Update, and automatic updates can be controlled through Group Policy. Alternatively, users can download a stand-alone version of Chrome installer that does not automatically update. On OS X, it uses Google Update Service, and automatic updates can be controlled via the "default" OS X system. In Linux, it allows normal system package management systems to supply updates. This automatic update behavior is the main difference from Chromium, the non-branded open source browser that forms the core of Google Chrome. Because Chromium also functions as a pre-release development trunk for Chrome, the revision is provided as source code and snapshots that can be built continuously produced with each new commit, requiring users to manage their own browser updates.
Release the version number
The release is identified by the four-part version number, e.g. 42.0.2311.90 (Windows Stable release April 14, 2015). The component is major.minor.build.patch.
- Major.minor reflects the scheduling policy
- Build.patch identifies content development
- Major represents the product release. It's scheduled 7-8 per year, unlike other software systems where the main version number is only updated with substantial new content.
- Small is usually 0. Reference to version 'x' or 'x.0', e.g. 42.0, see the appointment of major.minor .
- Build is on the rise. For release cycles, e.g. 42.0, there are several versions in the Canary and Developer period. The latest build number from Developer is stored across Beta and Stable and locked with major.minor for the release.
- Patch resets with each build , incrementing with each patch . The first patch is 0, but usually the first publicly released patch is somewhat higher. In Beta and Stable, only patches are added.
Chromium and Chrome release schedules are linked via Chromium ( Major ) date version of Branch Point, which is published annually. Branch Point precedes last version of the Last (final) Developer release by 4 days (almost always) and the initial release of Chrome Stable is about 53 days.
Example: Version 42 Branch Point is February 20, 2015. Developers build stop forward at build 2311 with the release of 42.0.2311.4 on February 24, 4 days later. The first Stable Release, 42.0.2311.90, is April 14, 2015, 53 days after Branch Point.
Color management
Chrome supports color management by using the system-supplied ICC v2 and v4 support on macOS, and from version 22 supporting ICC v2 profiles by default on other platforms.
T-Rex
In Chrome, when not connected to the Internet and an error message that displays "No Internet" is displayed, at the top, "8-bit" Tyrannosaurus rex is displayed, but when pressing a space bar on the keyboard, on top of it or tapped it on the touch device, T-Rex immediately jumped once and ran across a cactus-filled wasteland, exposing it to Easter eggs in the form of a platform game. The game itself is an infinite runner, and there is no time limit in this game because it runs faster and periodically tints to a black background. School Chromebook administrators can disable the game.
Platform
Chrome runs on:
- Windows 7 or later
- OS X 10.10 or later
- 64-bit version of Ubuntu 14.04, Debian 8, openSUSE 13.3 and Fedora 24
- Android 4.1 or later
- iOS 10 or later
In April 2016, 32-bit and 64-bit stable development is available for Windows, with only 64-bit stable available for Linux and macOS. 64-bit Windows build becomes available on the developer channel and as a walnut maker on June 3, 2014, in the beta channel on July 30, 2014, and on a stable channel on August 26, 2014. 64-bit OS X is available as a walnut built on November 7, 2013 , in the beta channel on October 9, 2014, and on a steady channel on November 18, 2014.
Compatibility
Android
The beta version for Android 4.0 devices launches on February 7, 2012, is available for a limited number of countries from Google Play.
Important features: sync with desktop Chrome to provide the same bookmarks and view the same browser tabs, pre-rendering pages, hardware acceleration.
Many of the latest HTML5 features: almost all Web Platform features: GPU-accelerated canvas, including CSS 3D Transforms, CSS animations, SVG, WebSocket (including binary messages), Custom Workers; has overflow scrolling support, strong HTML5 video support, and new capabilities like IndexedDB, WebWorkers, Application Cache and File API, date and time selector, part of the Media Capture API. Also supports mobile-oriented features like Device Orientation and Geolocation.
Mobile customization: swipe tab switching, link preview enables zooming (some) to make sure you want to be clicked, increasing font size to ensure legibility regardless of zoom level.
Missing features in the mobile version include sandbox tabs, Safe Browsing, apps or extensions, Adobe Flash (now and in the future), Native Client.
Development change: remote debugging, part of the browser layer has been implemented in Java, communicating with other Chromium and Webkit codes via Java Native Bindings. The Chrome Code for Android is a Chromium project fork. This is a priority for most new and upgraded code to Chromium and WebKit to complete the fork.
Update April 17, 2012, including availability for access in 31 additional languages ââand in all countries where Google Play is available. Desktop desktop versions of websites can also be requested as opposed to the mobile version. In addition, Android users can now add bookmarks to their Android home screen if they choose and decide which app should handle the open links in Chrome.
On June 27, 2012, Google Chrome for Android left the beta and stabilized.
Chrome 18.0.1026311, released on September 26, 2012, is the first version of Chrome for Android to support Intel x86-based mobile devices.
Starting from version 25, the Chrome version for Android is parallel to the desktop version, and usually a new stable release is available at the same time between Android and desktop versions. Google released a separate beta channel Chrome for Android on January 10, 2013, with version 25. Since 2013 a separate Chrome beta version is available in the Google Play store - it can run side by side with a stable release.
Chrome OS
Google Chrome is the basis of the Google Chrome OS operating system that is shipped on certain hardware from Google's manufacturing partners. The user interface has a minimalist design that resembles the Google Chrome browser. Chrome OS is for users who spend most of their computer time on the Web; the only app on the device is a browser that combines media player and file manager.
Google announced Chrome OS on July 7, 2009.
iOS
Chrome is available on Apple iOS mobile operating systems like Google Chrome for iOS. Released on Apple App Store on June 26, 2012, supports iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, and requires that the device has iOS 9.0 or later installed. In accordance with Apple's requirements for browsers released through their App Store, this version of Chrome uses iOS WebKit - which is Apple's own mobile device and component rendering, developed for Safari browsers - therefore it is limited from using Google's own V8 JavaScript engine. Chrome is the default web browser for the iOS Gmail app, but can not be used as the default app for all devices to open web pages because Apple has not given iOS users the option to change the default of Safari.
In a review by Chitika, Chrome has 1.5% of the iOS web browser market as of July 18, 2012. In October 2013 Chrome had 3% of the iOS browser market.
Linux
On Linux distributions, support for 32-bit Intel processors ends in March 2016. In Chrome version 26, the Linux installation of the browser can be updated only on systems that support GCC v4.6 and GTK v2.24 or later. Thus the abandoned system includes (for example) Debian 6's 2.20, and RHEL 6's 2.18.
Windows
Support for Google Chrome on Windows XP and Windows Vista has expired as of April 2016. The last release of Google Chrome that can run on Windows XP and Windows Vista is version 49.0.2623.112 m, released on April 7, 2016, then re-released on April 11, 2016.
In June 2012, the now discontinued "Windows 8" mode was introduced to the developer channel, allowing Windows 8 and 8.1 users to run Chrome with a tablet-optimized full-screen interface, with access to snap, share and search functionality. In October 2013, Windows 8 mode on developer channels was changed to use a desktop environment that mimics the Chrome OS interface with special system and taskbar for web applications. This is discontinued in version 49 and users who have been upgraded to Windows 10 will lose this feature.
macOS
Google drops support for Mac OS X 10.5 with Chrome 21 release. Support for 32-bit Chrome ends in October 2014 with Chrome 39 release. Support for Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8 ends in April 2016 with the release of Chrome 50. Support for OS X 10.9 ended in April 2018 with the release of Chrome 66.
Reception
Google Chrome meets with praise when it's released. In 2008 Matthew Moore of The Daily Telegraph abstracted the original reviewers' ruling: "Google Chrome is attractive, fast and has some impressive new features..."
Initially, Microsoft reportedly downplayed the threat from Chrome and predicted that most people would embrace Internet Explorer 8. Opera Software said that "Chrome will strengthen the Web as the world's largest application platform". But on February 25, 2010, BusinessWeek has reported that "For the first time in years, energy and resources are poured into the browser, programs everywhere to access content on the Web Credit for this trend - a boon to consumers - going to two parties, the first is Google, whose grand plans for Chrome's browser have shaken Microsoft from its competitive lag and forced the software giant to pay new attention to its own browser, Internet Explorer, stopping efforts to improve IE after winning in the latest browser war, sending Netscape to its destruction.Now back to gear. "Mozilla said that the introduction of Chrome into the web browser market came as" no real surprise ", that" Chrome is not meant to compete with Firefox ", and further that it will not affect Google's revenue relationship with Mozilla.
Chrome's design bridges the gap between the desktop and what's called "cloud computing." With a touch of a button, Chrome lets you create a desktop, Start menu or QuickLaunch shortcut to any Web page or Web application, blurring the line between what's online and what's inside your PC. For example, I created a desktop shortcut for Google Maps. When you create shortcuts for Web apps, Chrome removes all the toolbars and tabs from windows, leaving you with something that feels more like a desktop app than like an app or a webpage.
Usage
Chrome took over Firefox in November 2011, in worldwide use. As of June 2016, according to StatCounter, Google Chrome has 62% share of desktop use worldwide, making it the most used web browser, while Firefox has 16% and Internet Explorer has 12%.
Together with Safari and Mozilla Firefox, Chrome receives a weekend "bump", which increases its market share by as much as three percent by the end of the week, at the expense of Internet Explorer.
Reported by StatCounter, a web analytics company, that for one Sunday, March 18, 2012, Chrome is the world's most used web browser for the first time. Chrome secures 32.7% of global web browsing that day, while Internet Explorer follows in the back with 32.5%.
From 14-21 May 2012, Google Chrome is for the first time responsible for more Internet traffic than Microsoft Internet Explorer, which has long maintained its position as the world's most used web browser. According to StatCounter, 31.88% of web traffic is generated by Chrome for one week continuous period and 31.47% by Internet Explorer. Although Chrome has occupied Internet Explorer for one day's use in the past, this is the first time they have taken the lead for a whole week.
At the Google I/O 2012 developer conference, Google claims that there are 310 million active Chrome users, nearly double the number in 2011, which is expressed as 160 million active users.
As of June 2013, according to StatCounter, Chrome takes over Internet Explorer for the first time in the US.
As of August 2013, Chrome is used by 43% of Internet users worldwide. The study was conducted by Statista, who also noted that in North America, 36% of people use Chrome, the lowest in the world.
As of February 2018, Chrome is the most used browser in almost all countries, with most exceptions in Africa.
Enterprise deployment
In December 2010, Google announced that to make it easier for businesses to use Chrome, they will provide the official MSI Chrome package. For business use, it is helpful to have a customizable MSI package through transforming (.mst) files Ã, - but the MSI provided with Chrome is just a very limited MSI wrapper installed around a normal installer, and many businesses find that this setting is not meet their needs. The normally downloaded Chrome installer locates the browser in the user's local application data directory and provides an invisible background update, but the MSI package will allow installation at the system level, providing system administrator control over the update process - previously only possible if Chrome is installed using Google Pack. Google also creates group policy objects to customize Chrome behavior in the business environment, for example by setting auto update intervals, disabling automatic updates, and configuring the home page. Until version 24, this software is known not ready for enterprise deployment with roaming profiles or Terminal Server/Citrix environments.
Chromium
In September 2008, Google released most of Chrome's source code as an open source project called Chromium. This step allows third-party developers to learn the underlying source code and to help browser ports to MacOS and Linux operating systems. Google-generated Chromium sections are released under a permissive BSD license. Other parts of the source code are subject to various open-source licenses. Chromium is similar to Chrome, but it does not have built-in automatic updates and an internal Flash player, as well as Google branding and has a blue logo instead of a multicolored Google logo. Chromium does not implement user RLZ tracking. Initially, the Google Chrome PDF viewer, PDFium, was removed from Chromium, but later made an open source in May 2014. PDFium can be used to fill out PDF forms.
Expand for Chrome
It is possible to develop apps, extensions and themes for Chrome. They zip in the.crx file and contain a manifest file that specifies basic information (such as version, name, description, privilege, etc.), and other files for the user interface (icons, popups, etc.). Google has an official developer guide. Chrome has its own web store where users and developers can upload and download these apps and extensions.
See also
- Google Apps for Work
- Google Chrome Experiments
- Google Chrome Frame
- Web browser history
- List of web browsers
Note
References
External links
- Official website
- Google Chrome release channel (stable/beta/dev/walen making options)
- Google Chrome history in "Chrome Time Machine"
- Google Chrome Releases blog
Source of the article : Wikipedia