Google replaces compiler in Chromium with more efficient Maglev

Google has added a new compiler in Chromium. It’s called Maglev, a just-in-time compiler for Chrome’s JavaScript engine. According to the company, Maglev is faster in benchmarks and can save a lot of battery.

The new compiler has been added to Chromium version 114, writes Google. It can then be added to new Chrome versions, or to alternative browsers based on Chromium. The new compiler is a just-in-time compiler, which can generate “relevant code” in the first hundredth of a second, Google claims. This reduces the CPU load and, according to Google, can extend battery life on laptops and smartphones.

According to Google, the new compiler is a lot faster than the previous compiler. The company uses benchmarks for this Speedometer where Maglev would provide a five percent improvement. In other benchmarks, including JetStream, this could even amount to 7.5 percent more efficiency. According to the company, some of that efficiency is achieved through improvements to the V8 JavaScript engine.