Last week I noted that ChromeOS 116 is the likely beginning for Google to decouple the Chrome browser from ChromeOS. This effort has taken nearly three years so far and there’s no near-term end in sight. Based on details shared by Google, the Lacros on Chromebooks transition plan won’t be quick. Expect it to last for a year.
Lacros on Chromebooks detailed for developers
Google recently shared the below video webinar outlining the Lacros on Chromebooks transition plan, which is how I found out about the details. The video is targeted at Chrome developers and, to a lesser degree, those who manage Google Chrome in an enterprise location.
Right off the bat, Google says it has opened up the usage of Lacros on Chromebooks to trusted testers. So yes, we’re in the homestretch of this transition to turn the Chrome browser into a separate application on Chromebooks.
A recap of what Lacros on Chromebooks is
For those who haven’t been following this, Lacros is basically the Chrome browser for Linux, but with integrations needed for ChromeOS.
I covered why Google is doing this and Google recaps it in the video, but here’s the high-level reason. In the current situation, whenever the Chrome browser needs an update, say for a security patch, Google has to push that to Chromebooks in a ChromeOS update. That takes more time and effort than it does for the Chrome browser on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
By making Chrome an independent application on Chromebooks, Google can push browser updates quicker. And it doesn’t have to maintain a separate browser codebase for Chromebooks. Although those are big benefits alone, there might be another one. It’s possible that once the automatic software update expiration date passes on a Chromebook, the browser itself could get updates. That means it could continue to gain security patches and other features.
Keep in mind that this scenario isn’t the officially stated reason Google has created Lacros. This is simply a possibility worth mentioning.
Current Chrome and ChromeOS architecture changes
When you get an idea of how the current Chrome browser works within ChromeOS, you can see why Lacros on Chromebooks has taken so long. The current Chrome browser is heavily integrated within ChromeOS, as shown below. The “Browser” section on the right side of the diagram is the current state.
Lacros on Chromebooks moves the Chrome browser outside (to the left) of ChromeOS. And it’s not as simple as simply installing Chrome. That’s because the operating system has many integration points with the browser. Every arrow on the above diagram is either one of the integration points or some messaging between the browser and ChromeOS.
Think of it this way with the simple example of downloading a file from the Chrome browser. (Yes, I know that third-party browsers on Chromebooks can download and save files from the internet. I’m using this as an example of all browser functionality that interacts with an operating system using a simple scenario. Such third-party browsers also use the APIs and services from the platforms they run on, i.e. Android and Linux, which is why they work today for this use case.)
On a Windows device, the Chrome browser uses already established Windows APIs and services so the device can access the file system and save that file. ChromeOS by comparison also has these integration points. But today, the Chrome browser is part of ChromeOS and the tools needed to access the file system to save the download are within ChromeOS.
So how does a browse
