ForkServer in Firefox 141: No More Restarts and Better Performance on Linux

https://ostechnix.com/firefox-linux-forkserver-no-restarts/

163 points · 24 comments · view on lemmy.world

24 Comments

data1701d@startrek.website · 31 pts · 1y (5 replies)

The no restart is kind of awesome. WebGPU progress is also great, even if not on Linux yet.

umbrella@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 1y (4 replies)
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Chewy7324@discuss.tchncs.de · 11 pts · 1y (3 replies)

The problem is that if Firefox does not support features like WebGPU, people will switch to Chrome once they notice web sites don't work correctly.

umbrella@lemmy.ml · 7 pts · 1y
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Doorknob@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

I guess not using it when everyone else is would be another way of fingerprinting too

Cyber@feddit.uk · 1 pts · 1y

Or, complain to the website not to use browser specific features (just like the old Internet Explorer days)

Cyber@feddit.uk · 3 pts · 1y (1 reply)

The in-memory version of the tab template prevents having to restart FF to load the new one from disk now, but, at some point you're still going to have to restart...

I tend to hibernate my laptop, so it doesn't reboot often... so surely I'm going to get to the point where FF needs a restart...

clb92@feddit.dk · 1 pts · 1y

I already don't restart Firefox very often, maybe once a week, if I'm feeling like it.

Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu · 2 pts · 1y (14 replies)

Kind of neat... Don't know if really useful at all, but cool anyway

vga@sopuli.xyz · 40 pts · 1y (10 replies)
  • No More Forced Restarts: This is a huge relief for many!. Firefox on Linux no longer requires a forced restart after your package manager applies an update. This means smoother, uninterrupted browsing, even during system updates.
  • Reduced Memory Usage: ForkServer leads to a significant reduction in memory consumption for content processes. The base resident memory for a content process is now around 50% lower. This helps Firefox run more efficiently, especially if you have many tabs open.
  • Faster Process Startup: You'll notice that content process startup times are reduced by approximately 35%. This translates to snappier new tab openings and overall improved responsiveness.
sxan@midwest.social · 17 pts · 1y (9 replies)

Reduced Memory Usage:

This is the one that really matters. Both Chrome and FF are brutal on memory use.

Thaurin@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y (8 replies)

That’s because each tab is sandboxed.

Dirk@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 1y (7 replies)

And cached. Browsers just use the RAM for what it exists for.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 1y (5 replies)

I use Auto Tab Discard, have all except 10 tabs unloaded and FF has 5.5 GB reserved, just in case.

UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Fellow Auto Tab Discard ejoyer, I salute you.

Joke aside I recommend this extension if you have a tendency to have a shitton of tabs opened

Dirk@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 1y (3 replies)

I have currently 13 tabs open and I don’t see the issue. RAM is there to be used. I actually expect my programs to extensively cache stuff and use the RAM.

(The other Firefox processes for the individual tabs are cut from the screenshot.)

ragas@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y

How can you only have 15 Tabs open? I'm at about a hundred at all times.

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 1y

Nah, RAM has to be reserved and can't then be used by other programs until given free. That's why, cache data and only use RAM for currently running and speed-critical stuff.

AndrewZabar@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

That's why my main desktop has 32GB and my laptop 16. We're at the point that these are minimum comfortable amounts.

acidrain42@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 1y (2 replies)

I for one am extremely happy about the no force restart. It's quite minor in the grand scheme of things, but it is so annoying.

Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)

True, its annoying, bit this does not take away the need for a restart of the process, obviously, just you can do it at a more convenient time.

acidrain42@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 1y

Absolutely, it's only about convenience. I often miss the fact that firefox is in the list of all the packages that are getting updated and realize it only when I open a new tab and I get the error message, and that's annoying. Very much a first world problem for sure!

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml · -9 pts · 1y (2 replies)

'those pesky "restart required" messages after an update?'

Hmm so they want to make modifying my system without my permission even more seamless ?

I'm not sure I like that very much...

vga@sopuli.xyz · 8 pts · 1y

I think this happens only when your firefox upgraded while you were using it. In Linux, that usually happens when you manually run an upgrade.

Raptorox@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y

See, when you update firefox while it's running, opening a tab shows a big "Restart to continue browsing" screen