Google, in partnership with the Linux Foundation, has officially launched the Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers program with the goal of financing the development of Chromium. This initiative aims to attract additional funding from large companies and organizations that use Chromium in their products.
Chromium serves as the foundation for many web browsers and applications, including Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, as well as platforms like LG, Bloomberg, and SpaceX. Despite Google’s significant role in the project – accounting for 94% of all changes in 2024 with over 100,000 commits – the company emphasizes the importance of collective contributions to supporting the ecosystem.
Google primarily shoulders the infrastructure support for the project, with hundreds of servers processing millions of tests daily and addressing errors, resulting in annual costs amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. The industry has long discussed sustainable funding for critical open infrastructure, and the new fund aims to distribute responsibilities among interested parties.
The Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers program will be overseen by the Linux Foundation, adhering to principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and open governance. Microsoft, Meta, and Opera are among the initial participants in the initiative, pledging financial support to developers working on Chromium to drive further advancements.
While Google affirms its continued substantial investments in the project and remains a key player, the new funding mechanism will enable a wider distribution of resources to ensure the stable development of Chromium for the benefit of the entire web industry.
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