Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a <a href="/facts/Web_browser/2pfyymLs">web browser</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Google/GT9Sugza">Google</a>. It was first released in 2008 for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a>, built with <a href="/facts/Free_software/IaoVtJXn">free software</a> components from <a href="/facts/Apple_WebKit/YrP9vbIj">Apple WebKit</a> and <a href="/facts/Mozilla_Firefox/xez2zv8H">Mozilla Firefox</a>. Versions were later released for <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a>, <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a>, <a href="/facts/IOS/mK5cggH5">iOS</a>, <a href="/facts/IPadOS/fClrmH7D">iPadOS</a>, and also for <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a>, where it is the default browser. The browser is also the main component of <a href="/facts/ChromeOS/zH0B5Xtk">ChromeOS</a>, where it serves as the platform for <a href="/facts/Web_application/BLkF3BIN">web applications</a>.
Most of Chrome's <a href="/facts/Source_code/o9J6Jv23">source code</a> comes from Google's <a href="/facts/Free_and_open-source_software/1cHtjLCB">free and open-source software</a> project <a href="/facts/Chromium_(web_browser)/F1S8sAEt">Chromium</a>, but Chrome is licensed as proprietary <a href="/facts/Freeware/c8oGA9ju">freeware</a>. <a href="/facts/WebKit/YrP9vbIj">WebKit</a> was the original <a href="/facts/Browser_engine/wLna3ate">rendering engine</a>, but Google eventually <a href="/facts/Fork_(software_development)/D6khxhpr">forked</a> it to create the <a href="/facts/Blink_(browser_engine)/uL9vhKbv">Blink</a> engine; all Chrome variants except iOS used Blink as of 2017.
As of April 2024, <a href="/facts/StatCounter/AptgfdPv">StatCounter</a> estimates that Chrome has a 65% worldwide <a href="/facts/Usage_share_of_web_browsers/dHEpByj7">browser market share</a> (after peaking at 72.38% in November 2018) on <a href="/facts/Personal_computer/koaYfNce">personal computers</a> (PC), is most used on tablets (having surpassed <a href="/facts/Safari_(software)/9R8v7tNl">Safari</a>), and is also dominant on smartphones. With a market share of 65% across all platforms combined, Chrome is the most used web browser in the world today.
Google chief executive <a href="/facts/Eric_Schmidt/R9PsmFCY">Eric Schmidt</a> was previously involved in the "<a href="/facts/Browser_wars/TtQwvGlw">browser wars</a>", a part of U.S. <a href="/facts/Corporation/hykSVoWJ">corporate history</a>, and opposed the expansion of the company into such a new area. However, Google co-founders <a href="/facts/Sergey_Brin/EjAXlo26">Sergey Brin</a> and <a href="/facts/Larry_Page/EwJeHSJ5">Larry Page</a> spearheaded a software demonstration that pushed Schmidt into making Chrome a core business priority, which resulted in commercial success. Because of the proliferation of Chrome, Google has expanded the "Chrome" brand name to other products. These include not just ChromeOS but also <a href="/facts/Chromecast/0EztvB0h">Chromecast</a>, <a href="/facts/Chromebook/6aAkFzLV">Chromebook</a>, <a href="/facts/Chromebit/pcBcmIfs">Chromebit</a>, <a href="/facts/Chromebox/3G1p4w7Q">Chromebox</a>, and <a href="/facts/Chromebase/6aAkFzLV">Chromebase</a>.

Google Chrome open-in-new

Google Chrome