System "sandboxes" tabs for stability, security

The team behind WebKit, the layout engine utilized by browsers such as Safari, has published an outline of the upcoming WebKit2 build, which will feature a new split-process model. The framework has been compared to the system used by Google's Chrome browser. Web content such as JavaScript, HTML, or layout is separated into separate processes.

Chrome's split-process model allows each browser tab to exist in its own process. The benefits to such a configuration include security and stability, as a crashing site will only cause problems with a single tab that can be closed while others remain active.

The updated engine is also said to provide a stable C-based non-blocking API, achieved through a combination of notification- or policy-style client callbacks, policy settings, or injected code. The API would remain "usable while still providing a comprehensive set of features to the embedder," according to the description.

WebKit2 is now available for developers on Mac and Windows platforms, although it is unclear when the framework will be integrated into public releases of software such as Safari and Chrome.

By Electronista Staff