In a recent development, the browser engine created by Apple known as Webkit and used in browsers like Safari and Epiphany (Gnome Web) is transitioning to utilize the 2D graphics library Skia , commonly employed by Google Chrome, Chromeos, Android, and Flutter. This transition was initiated by Igalia as part of the WebKitgtk performance optimization initiative for GNOME, aiming to enhance the performance of 2D-scenes in Webkit by leveraging GPU capabilities.
Past efforts to integrate GPU capabilities for 2D graphics in the existing Cairo library used by WebKit proved unsuccessful due to the library’s architectural limitations. Similarly, attempts to develop a new library were hindered by the challenge of balancing performance with drawing quality. Consequently, the developers revisited the idea of incorporating the SKIA library, initially dismissed due to stability and compatibility concerns within Webkit.
The decision to switch Webkit to the SKIA library was driven by the advantages it offered in terms of rendering acceleration, simplification of code base, and enhanced development possibilities. Initial tests following the migration to SKIA demonstrated a two-fold increase in drawing speed compared to the previous CPU-based approach during Motionmark benchmarks on PCs. By February 2024, the SKIA-based version of Webkit had been successfully merged into the main Webkit code base after consultations with developers from major tech companies like Google, Sony, Apple, and Red Hat. The integration of SKIA support is already included in the main Webkit repository.