Originally I wasn’t looking forward to the launch of Google Chrome for one reason - it’s *another* browser which us web developers have to cater for. But since I heard it is based on the not-so-bad WebKit rendering engine I started getting excited. What does this mean for Firefox though - can they compete with Apple and Google (both WebKit)!? The new Google browser is not just another duck in the pond either; they have completely rethought the typical browser interface and have added a bunch of features making the browser experience better for users and the developing experience better for us developers.

At 7pm (I’m in the UK) I downloaded my copy of Chrome (from here: google.com/chrome) and installed it straight away. I’ve prepared some juicy screenshots for those too tired to read:

Features

• One box for everything: Chrome has a multi-functional address bar allowing you to search multiple resources/sites and access sites by typing in their URL’s all into one box.
• New tab page: Google Chrome automatically displays your most visited pages and search engines as well as recently closed bookmarks.
• Application Shortcuts: Chrome allows you to create desktop-app like shortcuts to your online apps such as Google Mail or Google docs so instead of having to muddle around with tabs and bloated browsers you can open your app in a single window of it’s own - as if it were actually a desktop app!
• Dynamic Tabs: Chrome has some neat features to let you control your tabs more easily.
• Crash control: Since each tab is in a process of it’s own, if a website you’re visiting crashes and no longer responds it is only that single tab which has crashed instead of the entire program.
• Incognito mode: Sometimes you won’t want you’re recently viewed items to be logged or available on the new tab page - Chrome’s inCognito mode is a more private way to surf the internet.
• Importing settings: Much like other browsers, Chrome will import bookmarks and settings from other browsers.
• New V8: The way Chrome runs JavaScript is totally revolutionary and is said to massively speed up the running or heavy web apps.
• WebKit rendering engine: This is not bad news for web developers. Since the rendering engine is the same as Safari’s there will be little need to worry about incompatibilities.

So… Firefox, Safari, Opera or… Chrome?

Chrome looks and feels wonderful. I’ve only been using it for a couple of hours and already find it a very fast and fluid experience. However, there is no way I am ditching Firefox’s flexibility/expandability or Opera’s security/speed for something which is still only in beta. I think I will definitely keep Chrome installed and I will hopefully make use of it. I know for a fact that I’ll be running Google Mail on it from tonight onwards!

I am looking forward to the next few releases of this awesome browser!

Thank you Google!

Related Links

• Google Chrome Forum!
• Google Chrome Homepage
• A fresh take on the browser - Google Blog
• Firefox boss responds to Google’s Chrome
• Google Chrome Process Manager
• Ten Questions About Google Chrome
• Google on Google Chrome - comic book
• Google Chrome Screenshots