ForkServer in Firefox 141: No More Restarts and Better Performance on Linux (ostechnix.com)
from vga@sopuli.xyz to linux@lemmy.ml on 24 Jul 16:48
https://sopuli.xyz/post/30904646

#linux

threaded - newest

Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu on 24 Jul 16:52 next collapse

Kind of neat… Don’t know if really useful at all, but cool anyway

vga@sopuli.xyz on 24 Jul 17:09 next collapse

  • 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.

Sounds actually too good to be true to me.

sxan@midwest.social on 24 Jul 17:19 collapse

Reduced Memory Usage:

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

Thaurin@lemmy.world on 24 Jul 18:07 collapse

That’s because each tab is sandboxed.

Dirk@lemmy.ml on 25 Jul 08:38 collapse

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

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip on 25 Jul 10:27 next collapse

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

UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world on 25 Jul 11:25 next collapse

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 on 25 Jul 13:22 collapse

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.

<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.ml/pictrs/image/33c2b0a7-7f99-4394-ba71-493d189567ec.png">

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

MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip on 26 Jul 09:37 next collapse

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.

ragas@lemmy.ml on 26 Jul 11:02 collapse

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

Dirk@lemmy.ml on 26 Jul 13:55 collapse

How can you only have 15 Tabs open?

I use bookmarks and close tabs I don’t need any longer.

AndrewZabar@lemmy.world on 25 Jul 12:51 collapse

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 on 25 Jul 17:09 collapse

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 on 25 Jul 18:22 collapse

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 on 25 Jul 19:56 collapse

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!

data1701d@startrek.website on 24 Jul 18:14 next collapse

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

umbrella@lemmy.ml on 25 Jul 08:45 collapse

webgpu makes me apprehensive. more precise fingerprinting and worse exploits could potentially be a thing.

Chewy7324@discuss.tchncs.de on 25 Jul 10:44 collapse

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 on 25 Jul 20:16 next collapse

yeah that’s part of the issue of letting google unilaterally control the most popular browser by far.

Cyber@feddit.uk on 26 Jul 06:31 next collapse

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

Doorknob@lemmy.world on 28 Jul 10:51 collapse

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

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml on 25 Jul 20:59 next collapse

‘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 on 26 Jul 07:06 next collapse

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 on 26 Jul 07:21 collapse

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

Cyber@feddit.uk on 26 Jul 06:42 collapse

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 on 27 Jul 10:39 collapse

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