Why I'm Switching to Chromium-Based Browsers And Why You Should Too

Browsers are one of the most important tool in our day to day work.

As someone who has used the web for over 20 years, I've tried just about every major browser there is. From the early days of Netscape and Internet Explorer to Firefox, Safari, and more recently Vivaldi and Brave. But over time, I've found myself gradually switching to Chromium-based browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. Here's why:

Familiarity - The Chromium engine that Chrome and other browsers are built on has become the standard. Most sites are optimized for Chromium, so you get the best web experience using a Chromium browser. The UI is also streamlined and familiar across Chromium browsers.

Speed - In my experience, Chromium browsers tend to be faster and snappier than some alternatives like Firefox. Pages load quicker, and overall performance feels optimized. The V8 JavaScript engine in Chromium is highly optimized for speed.

Compatibility - With Chromium being so widely used now, web developers optimize primarily for Chromium compatibility. I've had fewer issues with sites working properly or displaying correctly when using Chromium browsers compared to Firefox or others.

Features - Chromium browsers stay on the cutting edge in terms of features. Things like tab grouping, site isolation for security, and integrated Google services give Chromium browsers an edge. The open source nature also allows rapid improvements.

Extensions - The Chrome Web Store has the largest selection of browser extensions. Things like ad blockers, password managers, and productivity enhancers are easy to add. Extensions "just work" reliably in Chromium.

Reliability - In my experience, Chromium browsers have been rock-solid reliable. Pages rarely crash or display incorrectly. And syncing bookmarks, history, and settings across devices is seamless with a Google account. The stability is unmatched.

So after decades of trying different browsers, I've settled on Chromium-based ones for my daily browsing. The familiarity, speed, compatibility, features, extensions, and reliability keep me coming back. If you haven't tried migrating to a Chromium browser yet, I highly recommend giving it a shot. You may just find yourself switching for good!