What is Chrome?

Google just released a new browser called Chrome. I like it so much that I redesigned my site to match its clean style. Here’s what makes it stand out to me.

WebKit

Chrome uses the WebKit rendering engine, which is also used by Safari and Konqueror. At the moment, WebKit is the only engine to get a perfect 100 out of 100 on the Acid3 standards test. Opera’s Presto engine is close, with a score of 99 out of 100.

This is important for developers. By designing for WebKit, you support browsers that use the latest standards like DOM2, CSS3, and SVG.

Offline Web Apps with Gears

Chrome comes with Google Gears built in. Gears lets web apps work offline, which might seem normal now, but was a big deal back in 2008. It gives you a local database for storing data and desktop features like drag-and-drop.

Security Architecture

Chrome introduces some new ideas for browser security:

• Process isolation: Each tab runs in its own process with its own JavaScript engine. If one tab crashes, it won’t close the whole browser. This setup also helps lower cross-site scripting risks by keeping session data separate.
• Phishing and malware protection: Chrome keeps a list of dangerous sites and warns you before you visit them. Google also lets site owners know when their sites are flagged so they can fix any problems.

The Verdict

Chrome isn’t perfect, but its design choices look like a step in the right direction. Browsers haven’t changed much in years, and Google is focusing on the basics to make them better.