Google Chrome update is making your browser more flexible than ever
Progressive Web App support feature available in Chrome’s Canary build
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Googleis reportedly working on a new file handling application programming interface (API) that will enableChromeprogressive web apps (PWAs) to work with files in the host operating system’s file system, pretty much like a native app.
PWAs, which are essentially web pages that behave and offer much of the same functionality as native apps, can not only dynamically shift to fit mobile or desktop screens, but are also a lot lighter, faster, and have a lower impact on battery life.
As per recently merged code to Chrome’s open source Chromium core, the search engine giant is looking to add a new permission prompt that will ask users to confirm whether a PWA can register itself as a file handler for certain file extensions.
File handling
The new permission prompt will work in conjunction with the new file handling API.
In the design doc for the new API, Google notes that its goal is to enable Chrome PWAs to read files in the filesystem in much the same way as a native app. It contends that adding support for file handlers will help deliver a more consistent user experience across native and web apps.
Using the example of a web app of animage editor,BleepingComputerexplains that while Chrome can register a web app to handle file image types (jpg, png, and such), theoperating systemwill not currently call on the web app when users double-click on an image file stored in the filesystem.
Google hopes to correct this with the file handling API. The feature is reportedly currently available in the under-testing Canary builds of Chrome and it is expected to launch later this year.
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ViaBleepingComputer
With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’sTechRadar Pro’sexpert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.
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