The Chromium Browser Project is an open-source web browser project started by Google to form the basis of Google Chrome. While Google will distribute it’s flavor of the web browser, the Chromium project being open-source, can be used by anyone willing to join the project. The emphasis of the project is to build the fastest, safest and easiest browser possible with web applications the primary focus.

The purpose of the Chromium project (vs. Google Chrome) is for developers to build out the browser functions, try new ideas and provide pre-release versions for testing and debugging. The project has the benevolent guidance of Google to push things along since this is the core main development work for the Google’s Chrome. The Chromium project releases nightly builds of the software, called Development Releases, while Google releases its own Developer and Beta versions.

Chromium (along with Chrome) features the latest HTML5 rendering engine based on WebKit, a new and fast scripting language called the V8 Javascript engine and a new simplified User-Interface. The browser also features a simple browser extension mechanism that allows web developers to extend the functions of the browser with simple HTML and javascript, without resorting to more complicated programming languages.

Chromium sports an improved address bar, dubbed the “omnibar”. This entry box allows the entry of website URLS, search terms and references to any history items. A feature popular with Opera users in a “speed dial” page. This start page will show the last most popular pages you’ve visited and provide for a graphical easy click interface. There is also a privacy mode, to hide locations the browser visits and prevents the storage of page elements to the browser cache. Anti-phising technology is incorporated in the browser to help prevent nefarious web sites from infecting your computer with viruses.

The browser attempts to provide a safer more secure browser by keeping individual web pages and scripts separated as distinct protected tasks so no one page can take down the browser or infect the OS. This results in a more stable software program.

Chromium is available for Windows, Mac and Linux in various forms of development. See dev.chromium.org for more information.