What’s the Difference Between Chromium and Chrome?
Chromium is the open-source project that forms the basis for Google Chrome. Because it’s completely open source, Chromium is available in many Linux distributions’ software repositories for easier installation.
The Chromium web browser is also available for other platforms. You could run it on Windows or Mac — in theory. Similarly, “Chromium OS” is the name of the open-source project that forms the basis of Google’s Chrome OS.
Chromium is the open-source project that forms the basis for Google Chrome. Because it’s completely open source, Chromium is available in many Linux distributions’ software repositories for easier installation.
The Chromium web browser is also available for other platforms. You could run it on Windows or Mac — in theory. Similarly, “Chromium OS” is the name of the open-source project that forms the basis of Google’s Chrome OS.
Getting Chromium or Chrome
On Linux, Chromium can often be installed directly from your Linux distribution’s software repositories. On Ubuntu Linux, for example, it can be installed by opening the Ubuntu Software Center, searching for Chromium, and clicking Install. It will be updated with security updates from your Linux distribution’s software repositories.
On Windows and Mac, actually using Chromium is tougher. Official Chromium builds are available, but they’re bleeding-edge-only and won’t automatically update. The updater is a closed-source part of Google Chrome. You could get third-party builds from someone, but they wouldn’t automatically update either and you’d have to trust the third-party distributer. You could compile Chromium yourself, but would you really want to do that every time an update is available? Ouch.
On Linux, getting Google Chrome involves visiting the Google Chrome download page and installing a package. It will generally configure an official Google software repository so updates for Chrome will appear in your Linux distribution’s package updater. It includes closed-source bits, so that’s why it’s not available in your software repositories.
On Windows and Mac, Chrome can also be installed directly from Google’s download page.
On Linux, Chromium can often be installed directly from your Linux distribution’s software repositories. On Ubuntu Linux, for example, it can be installed by opening the Ubuntu Software Center, searching for Chromium, and clicking Install. It will be updated with security updates from your Linux distribution’s software repositories.
On Windows and Mac, actually using Chromium is tougher. Official Chromium builds are available, but they’re bleeding-edge-only and won’t automatically update. The updater is a closed-source part of Google Chrome. You could get third-party builds from someone, but they wouldn’t automatically update either and you’d have to trust the third-party distributer. You could compile Chromium yourself, but would you really want to do that every time an update is available? Ouch.
On Linux, getting Google Chrome involves visiting the Google Chrome download page and installing a package. It will generally configure an official Google software repository so updates for Chrome will appear in your Linux distribution’s package updater. It includes closed-source bits, so that’s why it’s not available in your software repositories.
On Windows and Mac, Chrome can also be installed directly from Google’s download page.
What Chrome Has and Chromium Doesn’t
Chrome includes a variety of closed-source bits that Chromium lacks:
- AAC, H.264, and MP3 Support: Chrome includes licensed codecs for these proprietary media formats, giving you acess to a wider variety of media content — particularly sites using HTML5 video to stream H.264 videos. Both browsers include the basic, free codecs: Opus, Theora, Vorbis, VP8, VP9, and WAV.
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- Adobe Flash (PPAPI): Chrome includes a sandboxed Pepper API (PPAPI) Flash plug-in that Google automatically updates along with Chrome. This is the only way to get the most modern version of Flash on Linux. Even on Windows and Mac, you’re better off with the sandboxed PPAPI Flash plugin from Chrome than the older NPAPI Flash plug-in available from Adobe’s website. (You can actually get a Pepper Flash plug-in from Chrome and then install it and use it in Chromium, if you like.)
- Google Update: Windows and Mac get a program that automatically keeps Chrome up-to-date. Linux users use their standard software management tools.
- Security Sandbox (?): Google also notes that some Linux distributions may disable Chromium’s security sandbox, so you’ll want to navigate to about:sandbox in Chromium to ensure the sandbox is enabled and functioning by default. This is one of Chromium (and Chrome’s) best features.
While it’s not Google-branded, Chromium is still very Google-centric. It contains the same sync features found in Chrome, allowing you to log in with a Google account and sync your data.
Chrome includes a variety of closed-source bits that Chromium lacks:
- AAC, H.264, and MP3 Support: Chrome includes licensed codecs for these proprietary media formats, giving you acess to a wider variety of media content — particularly sites using HTML5 video to stream H.264 videos. Both browsers include the basic, free codecs: Opus, Theora, Vorbis, VP8, VP9, and WAV.
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- Adobe Flash (PPAPI): Chrome includes a sandboxed Pepper API (PPAPI) Flash plug-in that Google automatically updates along with Chrome. This is the only way to get the most modern version of Flash on Linux. Even on Windows and Mac, you’re better off with the sandboxed PPAPI Flash plugin from Chrome than the older NPAPI Flash plug-in available from Adobe’s website. (You can actually get a Pepper Flash plug-in from Chrome and then install it and use it in Chromium, if you like.)
- Google Update: Windows and Mac get a program that automatically keeps Chrome up-to-date. Linux users use their standard software management tools.
- Security Sandbox (?): Google also notes that some Linux distributions may disable Chromium’s security sandbox, so you’ll want to navigate to about:sandbox in Chromium to ensure the sandbox is enabled and functioning by default. This is one of Chromium (and Chrome’s) best features.
While it’s not Google-branded, Chromium is still very Google-centric. It contains the same sync features found in Chrome, allowing you to log in with a Google account and sync your data.
What About the “Spyware?” (It’s Not Actually Spyware)
Google Chrome includes crash reporting features not found in Chromium. If you choose to enable crash reporting in Chrome, information about crashes will be sent to Google. If you use Chromium, this crash reporter isn’t present and you’ll have to get a bug trace the old-fashioned way. Linux distributions may also modify Chromium’s code before giving it to you. If you’re trying to pin down some Chrome bug, you’re probably better off using Chrome instead of Chromium.
Chromium also lacks the usage-tracking or “user metrics” feature found in Chrome. This is an optional feature that sends information about how you use the different parts of the browser to Google, giving them data they can use to base decisions on. (This was the sort of data Microsoft claimed they used when they said they removed the Start menu because no one used it, soperhaps geeks should leave such features on.)
In the past, users were worried that each Chrome browser shipped with a unique “client ID” and noted that Chromium did not. Google stopped doing this back in 2010.
However, Chromium includes many features that depend on Google’s servers, and they’re enabled by default. You’ll see these features listed on the Settings page. They include a web service that helps fix mistyped web addresses, a prediction service, Google’s anti-phishing feature, and more.
Google Chrome includes crash reporting features not found in Chromium. If you choose to enable crash reporting in Chrome, information about crashes will be sent to Google. If you use Chromium, this crash reporter isn’t present and you’ll have to get a bug trace the old-fashioned way. Linux distributions may also modify Chromium’s code before giving it to you. If you’re trying to pin down some Chrome bug, you’re probably better off using Chrome instead of Chromium.
Chromium also lacks the usage-tracking or “user metrics” feature found in Chrome. This is an optional feature that sends information about how you use the different parts of the browser to Google, giving them data they can use to base decisions on. (This was the sort of data Microsoft claimed they used when they said they removed the Start menu because no one used it, soperhaps geeks should leave such features on.)
In the past, users were worried that each Chrome browser shipped with a unique “client ID” and noted that Chromium did not. Google stopped doing this back in 2010.
However, Chromium includes many features that depend on Google’s servers, and they’re enabled by default. You’ll see these features listed on the Settings page. They include a web service that helps fix mistyped web addresses, a prediction service, Google’s anti-phishing feature, and more.
So, Which Should You Use?
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Chromium is nice because it allows Linux distributions that require open-source software to package up a web browser that’s almost identical to Chrome and ship it to their users. Such Linux distributions could even use Chromium as their default web browser instead of Firefox, if they liked — and some do.
If you’re into open-source software and try to avoid any closed-source bits, Chromium is a good option for you.
However, many Linux users who aren’t so passionate about open-source software might want to install Chrome. Installing Chrome gets you a better Flash player if you’re using Flash and unlocks a larger amount of media content online. For example, Google Chrome on Linux can now stream Netflix videos. This requires H.264 support for HTML5 video.
On Windows and Mac, the choice is clear — Chromium is too finicky to actually use as you can’t get official stable builds that will update themselves. The real choice here is for Linux users.
Geeks often describe programs as being “open source” or “free software.” If you’re wondering exactly what these terms mean and... [Read Article]
Chromium is nice because it allows Linux distributions that require open-source software to package up a web browser that’s almost identical to Chrome and ship it to their users. Such Linux distributions could even use Chromium as their default web browser instead of Firefox, if they liked — and some do.
If you’re into open-source software and try to avoid any closed-source bits, Chromium is a good option for you.
However, many Linux users who aren’t so passionate about open-source software might want to install Chrome. Installing Chrome gets you a better Flash player if you’re using Flash and unlocks a larger amount of media content online. For example, Google Chrome on Linux can now stream Netflix videos. This requires H.264 support for HTML5 video.
On Windows and Mac, the choice is clear — Chromium is too finicky to actually use as you can’t get official stable builds that will update themselves. The real choice here is for Linux users.
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