Google and the Linux Foundation are teaming up on a new initiative aimed at funding and supporting the open-source Chromium ecosystem. Meta, Microsoft, and Opera will also take part in the project.
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The collaboration was announced today by the Linux Foundation (via Chromium Blog). The program will provide a neutral platform for industry leaders, developers, and academics to collaborate on improving Chromium. It will ensure that open-source browsers and related projects receive the necessary resources to thrive. The Chromium Project itself will remain under its current governance, but the Linux Foundation will manage this particular initiative.
Big tech is backing Chromium for reasons
This comes, coincidentally, just as the US government is pushing to break up Google, starting with stripping the company of the Chrome browser under antitrust rules. Chrome has nearly 90% of the global browser market and Google recently lost its antitrust case in court. However, there is some altruism on the part of Google here.
Google accounts for 94% of Chromium’s contributions. It has been the primary engine behind the project since its launch in 2008 alongside Chrome. Google meant for it to be open source from the beginning, and many of our favorite browsers have grown from it.
Popular Chromium browsers:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Samsung Internet
- Opera
- Brave
- Vivaldi
- Arc Browser
- Kiwi Browser
Google emphasized its continued investment in the project and welcomed support from the other tech giants. The initiative hopes to address long-standing challenges with funding of the Chromium Project. Google was quick to point out it spends hundreds of millions annually to maintain the project’s basic infrastructure.
A path towards open governance for Chromium
This initiative’s open governance model will be guided by a newly formed Technical Advisory Committee. The TAC will oversee funding allocation and ensure the project aligns with the needs of the broader Chromium community.
Chromium is a critical part of the web’s infrastructure, powering browsers like Chrome, Brave, and Edge, as well as frameworks like Electron. This initiative could help secure Chromium’s future as a cornerstone of the modern internet.
