Firefox long functioned as a monolithic applications, while developers of other browsers have preferred a multi-process approach. That will come soon change project developer electrolysis , which has finalized a multi-process architecture Firefox. It is expected to deploy in its 46th version of Firefox. Benefits electrolysis slightly overshadowed by the news that the next time Firefox bites off a bit more RAM – up to a fifth of current consumption.
Project electrolysis (also e10s ) is working on a multi-process architecture Firefox since 2009. Its mission is clear:
- Application stability improved e – program easy to isolate any faulty behavior plugin or site;
- improve the performance of the browser . “By dividing the work between multiple processes Viewer utilizes all cores computer or mobile device. Also, the user interface is gaining in speed of response, since it does not linger longer running elements of the website, “explains Benjamin Smedberg , a leading developer of Firefox;
- enhance system security . If the system can shutter some processes with lower privileges, the browser can these processes (for each open panels) isolated from the rest of the system, and thus hamper attempts to attack the system.
Over the last six years, Mozilla gradually tried to conduct multi-process architecture means A / B testing on Firefox Beta channel. Realistically architecture electrolysis drove about 15% of testers. Now e10s is fully prepared for deployment in branch stable browser that comes with its 46th version. Besides the above-mentioned benefits is expected to increase consumption of RAM, and 10 – 20%. According to the developer Eric Rahma , who electrolysis thoroughly tested on 64-bit Windows, Linux and OS X: “It’s a decent price for the benefits in terms of performance and security. However, if we take into account the ever-increasing number of processes, we will have to look again at how this memory is used. ”
After implementing electrolysis we may have fewer RAM, on the other hand, we get more responsive and more secure browser and system. In addition, consumption processes will be optimized in the future so that Firefox got back into a competitive position relative to other browsers. Memory requirements not only web applications are growing steadily. The solution is to retrofit rather than the computer’s reliance on aging, nízkonárokové programs.
Sources: Benjamin Smedberg , Eric Rahm
