Browsing the web using Chrome is about to get much faster
What is it?
Google’s latest algorithm for compressing data in its Chrome browser. The company says this “whole new data format" will make browsing the internet in Chrome much faster because web pages will load more quickly. Google announced its development last September, saying it was exciting news “because fast is better than slow". Can't argue with that.
Has it been speeding up Chrome since then?
Only in Chrome Canary, where Coogle tests new tools. Canary’s experimental nature means that you should use it only to try Chrome's new features, not as your main browser. Google admits that it can “sometimes break down completely”, and is therefore designed for “developers and early adopters”, not for the “faint hearted”.
When will it arrive in the Chrome I use?
Within the next month, hopefully. In January, Google engineer Ilya Grigorik said that there was “intent to ship" Brotli, which means they are working on adding it to the official version of Chrome. It will probably be built into the next release of the browser, which should arrive by the end of March. At the moment Chrome is on version 47. Faster browsing would be a great way for Chrome to celebrate its 50th incarnation.
How fast is it?
Google claims that it reduces file sizes by up to 26 per cent more than its predecessor Zopfli, which arrived in 2013. This is important because as the amount of multimedia content on web pages continues to grow, browsers will struggle to load them quickly.
Will I really notice the difference?
Yes, particularly when browsing in Chrome on a phone or tablet. Because Brotli uses less data, you’re much less likely to go over your data-usage limit on a mobile device. Google says this will mean “reduced battery use” too, hopefully leading to devices lasting longer between charges.
What if I don't use Chrome?
For mobile browsing you could try Opera Max instead. It’s a free Android app that compresses the amount of data apps use on your phone and tablet, Opera claims it can compress data on streaming sites such as YouTube and Netflix by up to 50 per cent. It’s been a huge hit, earning 74,000 five-star ratings on the Google Play store.
Does Firefox offer something similar?
No. Mozilla said in August 2014 that it was working on data compression technology codenamed Janus, but its wiki site says that the project has now ended. Mozilla has since said that it will adapt Firefox so it can use Brotli.
Where does the name come from?
It continues Google’s obsession with quirkily naming its products after food. Just as each new version of Android is named after confectionary (the latest being Marshmallow), so Google’s web-compression tools pay tribute to pastries from northern Switzerland.
Why?
No idea, but they sound quite tasty. Zopfli was named after Zopf, which is bread baked in the shape of a plait. As for brotli (main picture). Wikipedia tells us that the Swiss had largely forgotten about it until 10 years ago, when small bakeries started to revive old recipes. Expect to see them on sale in Greggs by the end of the year, by which time Chrome should be faster than ever.