Apple's Safari 5.1 to deliver new process architecture and extension support

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Apple on Monday released a developer preview of Safari 5.1, its next-generation browser for Mac OS X that will provide developers with a full-screen API, more powerful extension support, enhanced CSS3 support, and several other enhancements.



The 45.3MB private beta, labeled Safari 5.1 Developer Preview, will deliver improved graphics performance on Windows, media caching for audio and video data for web apps using the HTML5 application cache, and a new process architecture that separates the browser's rendering process from its application process, making Safari more responsive and stable.



Along these same lines, Safari 5.1 (on Snow Leopard and Lion) will run plug-ins within their own process, which should improve both security and stability.



For developers, the upcoming release introduces support for full-screen web content and support for keyboard behavior control by introducing several new methods to the Element and Document classes, according to people familiar with the software.



The forthcoming release will also offer developers new ways to customize and interact with Safari through Safari Extensions. For instance, developers will be able to receive event notifications when a user opens a window or tab, or when a window or tab has gone inactive.







Similarly, developers will gain access to a feature called Extension Menus, which will allow them to deliver interactive and customizable menus from within the Safari interface, as well as access to throw users into and out of the browser's Reader feature.



Another Extensions API called Extensions Popover should also allow developers to present users with large chunks of customized content that won't interfere with existing web content loaded in a tab or browser window.



Additionally, Safari 5.1 will roll out support for Web Open Font Format (WOFF), Mathematical Markup Language (MathML), CSS3 Auto-hyphenation, CSS3 Text Emphasis, CSS3 Vertical Text, and CSS3 Transitions and Animations.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    tru_canuktru_canuk Posts: 81member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple on Monday released a developer preview of Safari 5.1, its next-generation browser for Mac OS X that will provide developers with a full-screen API, more powerful extension support, enhanced CSS3 support, and several other enhancements.



    The 45.3MB private beta, labeled Safari 5.1 Developer Preview, will deliver improved graphics performance on Windows, media caching for audio and video data for web apps using the HTML5 application cache, and a new process architecture that separates the browser's rendering process from its application process, making Safari more responsive and stable.



    Along these same lines, Safari 5.1 (on Snow Leopard and Lion) will run plug-ins within their own process, which should improve both security and stability.



    For developers, the upcoming release introduces support for full-screen web content and support for keyboard behavior control by introducing several new methods to the Element and Document classes, according to people familiar with the software.



    The forthcoming release will also offer developers new ways to customize and interact with Safari through Safari Extensions. For instance, developers will be able to receive event notifications when a user opens a window or tab, or when a window or tab has gone inactive.







    Similarly, developers will gain access to a feature called Extension Menus, which will allow them to deliver inactive and customizable menus from within the Safari interface, as well as access to throw users into and out of the browser's Reader feature.



    Another Extensions API called Extensions Popover should also allow developers to present users with large chunks of customized content that won't interfere with existing web content loaded in a tab or browser window.



    Additionally, Safari 5.1 will roll out support for Web Open Font Format (WOFF), Mathematical Markup Language (MathML), CSS3 Auto-hyphenation, CSS3 Text Emphasis, CSS3 Vertical Text, and CSS3 Transitions and Animations.



    I'm curious of Safari 5.1 is using the WebKit 2.0 engine?
  • Reply 2 of 34
    inklinginkling Posts: 768member
    I hope those several other fixes includes fixing the dismal way Safari does threading. Use "Open in Tabs" to start a dozen or so webpages downloading and it locks up with a spinning rainbow wheel. Simply waiting for HTML from a sluggardly website seems to render Safari incapable of allowing a user to interact with the web pages that have already downloaded. It's frustrating to see a CPU load of only 5-10% and yet Safari is unusable.
  • Reply 3 of 34
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Obligatory post about the multiple gigabyte memory leak.



    And yes, I'd absolutely love if the Dev Preview 4 or final build of Safari 5.1 is using WebKit 2.
  • Reply 4 of 34
    myapplelovemyapplelove Posts: 1,515member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Obligatory post about the multiple gigabyte memory leak.



    And yes, I'd absolutely love if the Dev Preview 4 or final build of Safari 5.1 is using WebKit 2.



    Seconded.



    I am disappointed to say I have switched to chrome, it's better simple as that, more colour with discernible extension buttons, excellent tab design, plenty of add ons, snappy.



    I hope it's not a case of too little too late here for safari, but please fix the tabs first and put some colour on the damn thing.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member
    Chrome is OK if you don't mind it calling home ever ten minutes (literally. I use Little Snitch to verify this). Further, Chrome's support of some things like java script is lacking. I interact with many government websites like Pacer regularly. Chrome struggles to properly implement the java script so things like improper printing or loading occur. Safari never struggles to load these things.



    If I wasn't to use Safari anymore, I'd go with the new version of Firefox (which I used to hate). The extension support is much better then Chrome; Firefox doesn't have the java script issues; Firefox has fixed a lot of the previous interface issues I hated; and it doesn't call home but to look for updates.



    The one reason I consider switching from Safari is Chrome, Firefox, and now Explorer all have tabs on top. It makes more sense. When Apple tried tabs on top, half the populace preferred it. Still Apple killed it. Apple should have made it an option and people like me wouldn't' be experimenting with other browsers. The others would have come around. It was one of the first times I saw Apple cave to the masses design critiques. I also agree about the color. Let me work in some color if I want it.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    Seconded.



    I am disappointed to say I have switched to chrome, it's better simple as that, more colour with discernible extension buttons, excellent tab design, plenty of add ons, snappy.



    I hope it's not a case of too little too late here for safari, but please fix the tabs first and put some colour on the damn thing.



  • Reply 6 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tru_canuk View Post


    I'm curious of Safari 5.1 is using the WebKit 2.0 engine?



    AFAIK new process architecture = webkit 2.
  • Reply 7 of 34
    ltcompuserltcompuser Posts: 219member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Obligatory post about the multiple gigabyte memory leak.



    And yes, I'd absolutely love if the Dev Preview 4 or final build of Safari 5.1 is using WebKit 2.



    Thirded.



    Safari today used 1.7GB, with 6 tabs open. Top Sites turned off. That's the highest I've seen it.



    Right now it's using 400MB with 2 tabs open. This site and me.com
  • Reply 8 of 34
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    Seconded.



    I am disappointed to say I have switched to chrome, it's better simple as that, more colour with discernible extension buttons, excellent tab design, plenty of add ons, snappy.



    I hope it's not a case of too little too late here for safari, but please fix the tabs first and put some colour on the damn thing.



    I switched to Chrome on my PC and Mac. Safari's performance has been abysmal on my Mac and Firefox 4 development was too slow.
  • Reply 9 of 34
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ltcompuser View Post


    Thirded.



    Safari today used 1.7GB, with 6 tabs open. Top Sites turned off. That's the highest I've seen it.



    Right now it's using 400MB with 2 tabs open. This site and me.com



    I'm on 10.5.8 PPC with WebKit Nightly [minus WebKit2] and with 2 tabs the Real Memory consumption is:



    65.9MB



    I open a third tab: AppleInsider.com and my Real Memory jumps to:



    116.07MB



    What the hell is on AI that's nearly doubling my footprint? Oh that's right! Flash!



    All those lovely Flash ads and their container objects.



    My option is to run AdBlock 2.4.9 and trade off the Flash crap for running AdBlock.



    I'm now at 2 Tabs [reloaded AI], after restarting Safari with Adblock, and guess what? My Memory went to:



    91.21MB., with 12 threads.



    How blocking linked content costs one 25.31MB of memory just to run the HTML5 parser and then filter out those links via the BlockList remains a mystery.



    Now, if those ads were HTML5 ads being served to client browsers that supports HTML5 I know the memory footprint will be less as QuickTime is already system-wide and will handle the media needs. If it's a WebGL Ad for those HTML5 supported browsers most of the heavy lifting is done on the GPU for OpenCL/OpenGL.
  • Reply 10 of 34
    ghostface147ghostface147 Posts: 1,629member
    So will I be able to do a search in the address bar like chrome, firefox or even ie9 does? I find it rather convenient.
  • Reply 11 of 34
    mercury99mercury99 Posts: 251member
    I wonder if the mobile Safari iOS5 finally supports HTML5 device features such as camera.
  • Reply 12 of 34
    cougarcougar Posts: 55member
    I wonder if the new extension APIs make it possible for Inquisitor to finally come back.
  • Reply 13 of 34
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Along these same lines, Safari 5.1 (on Snow Leopard and Lion) will run plug-ins within their own process, which should improve both security and stability.



    Does that imply that Safari 5.1 still supports Leopard, albeit with less features?
  • Reply 14 of 34
    povilaspovilas Posts: 473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post


    I'm on 10.5.8 PPC with WebKit Nightly [minus WebKit2] and with 2 tabs the Real Memory consumption is:



    65.9MB



    I open a third tab: AppleInsider.com and my Real Memory jumps to:



    116.07MB



    What the hell is on AI that's nearly doubling my footprint? Oh that's right! Flash!



    All those lovely Flash ads and their container objects.



    My option is to run AdBlock 2.4.9 and trade off the Flash crap for running AdBlock.



    I'm now at 2 Tabs [reloaded AI], after restarting Safari with Adblock, and guess what? My Memory went to:



    91.21MB., with 12 threads.



    How blocking linked content costs one 25.31MB of memory just to run the HTML5 parser and then filter out those links via the BlockList remains a mystery.



    Now, if those ads were HTML5 ads being served to client browsers that supports HTML5 I know the memory footprint will be less as QuickTime is already system-wide and will handle the media needs. If it's a WebGL Ad for those HTML5 supported browsers most of the heavy lifting is done on the GPU for OpenCL/OpenGL.



    Safari Adblock (the extension) as far asi know is not blocking anything, just hiding. The old one Adblock based onSIMBl was actually blocking ads (as in not downloading).
  • Reply 15 of 34
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member
    WebGL and Do Not Track HTTP Header functionality is also new, enabled via the Develop menu...



    Yes, it's Webkit 2.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    povilaspovilas Posts: 473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ltcompuser View Post


    Thirded.



    Safari today used 1.7GB, with 6 tabs open. Top Sites turned off. That's the highest I've seen it.



    Right now it's using 400MB with 2 tabs open. This site and me.com



    Never had problems with Safari memory consumption. Right now 4 tabs open (AI, MacRumours, and 2 copies of TUAW). Memory usage is under 250 MB. I also have 8 extensions installed too.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Safari 5.0.6 Beta for Leopard is a developer preview, as well, minus two key areas:



    WebGL and WebKit2.



    Understandable.
  • Reply 18 of 34
    phizzphizz Posts: 142member
    Can I have tabs on top back please?



    And +1 for the unified address/search bar.
  • Reply 19 of 34
    wingswings Posts: 261member
    Every time I run an app that opens in full screen, I have a few harsh words that I mumble to the developer of that product. They're few & far between, yes, but it seems that Apple is trying to make that mainstream. I'll hate it. It's another reason I cuss Windows when I have the misfortune to sit in front of one. I certainly hope that this feature is something I have to do to make happen and not something that's going to appear without being invited.
  • Reply 20 of 34
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phizz View Post


    Can I have tabs on top back please?



    And +1 for the unified address/search bar.



    Tabs on top not going to happen. If you want to gain more screen real estate run lion with Safari in fullscreen mode.



    Unified search bar could happen.
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