Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 developers already have introduced the multiprocess browsing feature into these browsers. Even Mozilla developers have been talking about the separation of web applications in different tabs as multiple processes, before the introduction of this feature in Google Chrome and Internet Explorer 8, the latest version of Firefox (Firefox 3.5) does not render web pages with different CPU threads (as multiple processes). Now, the newly deployed Mozilla project, entitled Electrolysis, has the role to bring multiprocess browsing capabilities to Firefox.

This blog post explains the advantages of running web applications in separate tabs as multiple processes:

-Increased stability: if a plugin or webpage tries to use all the processor, memory, or even crashes, a process can isolate that bad behavior from the rest of the browser.
-Performance: By splitting work up among multiple processes, the browser can make use of multiple processor cores available on modern desktop computers and the next generation of mobile processors. The user interface can also be more responsive because it doesn’t need to block on long-running web page activities.
-Security: If the operating system can run a process with lower privileges, the browser can isolate web pages from the rest of the computer, making it harder for attackers to infect a computer.

Practically, by the addition of multiprocess browsing to Firefox will make it more stable, faster and secure. For example, if a web based application crashes in its own tab, you are not forced to restart the browser, just perform a refresh of the respective application or close its corresponding tab.

The Electrolysis project is currently running and various solutions are searched to implement the best methods for running each Mozilla Firefox browser tab as a separate content processes. There was not made any official mention when the multiprocess browsing feature will be available in Firefox.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 7:10 am and is filed under Freeware that rocks, IT News, Tech & gadgets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.