Apple announces WebKit2, introduces split-processing model

Apple's WebKit development team announced Thursday that the WebKit2 framework will begin rolling out.

From Apple programmer Anders Carlsson:

WebKit2 is designed from the ground up to support a split-process model, where the Web content (JavaScript, HTML, layout, etc.) lives in a separate process. This model is similar to what Google Chrome offers, with the major difference being that we have built the split-process model directly into the framework, allowing other clients to use it.

Apple's continued development of WebKit is a good sign as the company continues to push for Internet standards by developing the open-source engine responsible for Safari, MobileSafari, and several Web-based applications. By implementing the Chrome-like split-process model, WebKit2 allows any application that uses the technology to be protected from processes that crash within Web sites. The easiest example, as in Chrome, is when a site crashes in the future WebKit2 browser, only the tab that contains the crash needs to be attended to. All other tabs remain stable and active. WebKit2 should be suitable for testing very soon. You can check out high-level documentation here.

Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Do you have questions, issues, or stories you would like to see on MacFixIt? E-mail Us.