Google Chrome Never-Slow Mode Could Put An End To Its Resource Hog Ways

Chrome is the most popular browser on the market even though it is far from perfect. One of the biggest complaints that Chrome users have is that the browser tends to be very resource intensive using up memory and excess processing cycles that can slow down the entire system.

It appears that Google is finally ready to do something about the resource-intensive nature of Chrome with a new mode that would place limits on resources the browser can consume. Details of a mode called "Never-Slow Mode" have surfaced on Chromium Gerrit and indicate that the mode would place hard limits on the resources a webpage could consume. Developer Alex Russell explains that the mode "would enforce per-interaction budgets to keep the main thread clean."

Russell also notes that the feature "Currently blocks large scripts, sets budgets for certain resource types (script, font, css, images), turns off document.write(), clobbers sync XHR, enables client-hints pervasively, and buffers resources without `Content-Length` set. Budgets are re-set on interaction (click/tap/scroll). Long script tasks (> 200ms) pause all page execution until next interaction."

There is concern that blocking large scripts will break web pages. It would make sense that Google would give developers some time to fix things before the feature rolls out, but that is unconfirmed. While unconfirmed since this is being tipped as a "mode", perhaps it could be something the user can enable or disable as needed. With Microsoft moving to Chromium with Edge, its software developers have already started contributing to the engine, and fans hope that the extra help from Microsoft will help Chrome become a better browser.