Chromium Embedded Framework

Chromium Embedded Framework
Developer(s) Marshall Greenblatt
Initial release June 1, 2009 (2009-06-01)
Stable release 3.2623 / April 6, 2016 (2016-04-06)
Development status Active
Written in C++
Operating system Windows
Linux
Mac OS X
Type Framework, Web browser
License New BSD License (see BSD licenses)
Website bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef

The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is an open source framework for embedding a web browser engine based on the Chromium core. It is a convenient way to add web browser control and implement an HTML5-based layout GUI in a desktop application or to provide web browser capabilities to a software application or game, and provides the infrastructure developers need to quickly add HTML rendering and JavaScript to a C++ project. It also comes with bindings for C, C++, Delphi, Go, Java, .NET / Mono, Python and runs on Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.

Overview

There are two versions of Chromium Embedded Framework: CEF 1 and CEF 3.[1] Development of CEF 2 was abandoned after the appearance of the Chromium Content API.[2]

CEF 1 is a single-process implementation based on the Chromium WebKit API. It is no longer actively developed or supported.[3]

CEF 3 is a multi-process implementation based on the Chromium Content API and has performance similar to Google Chrome.[4] It uses asynchronous messaging to communicate between the main application process and one or more render processes (Blink + V8 JavaScript engine). It supports both NPAPI & PPAPI plugins, although NPAPI is deprecated and disabled by default in first 2015 versions (legacy support enabling available using --enable-npapi command line argument); latest versions removes NPAPI completely. A single-process run mode is supported for debugging purposes only.[5]

CEF comes with a sample application called CefClient that is written in C++ using WinApi, Cocoa, or GTK (depending on the platform) and contains demos of various features.[6][7] Newer versions include a sample application called CefSimple that, along with an accompanying tutorial, show how to create a simple application using CEF 3.[8]

Documentation can be found in the header files located in the "include" directory[9][10] and on wiki pages.[11]

Adobe Web Engine Team maintains development and stable branches builds for Linux, Mac and Windows in 32- and 64-bit forms.

Supported languages

The base CEF framework includes support for the C and C++ programming languages, but there are external projects that provide bindings for other languages:

Applications using CEF

  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Adobe Dreamweaver CC – web design software
  • Adobe Edge Animate – multimedia authoring tool
  • Adobe Edge Reflow – responsive web design tool
  • Alpha Anywhere – web application development tool
  • Amazon Music – media player for PC and Mac
  • AOL Instant Messenger – instant messaging client that uses CEF on Windows
  • AppJS – build desktop applications using Node.js[22]
  • Battle.net Client –
  • BirdFont – font editor
  • Adobe Brackets – open source code editor for the web
  • Chromium Tab – another Chromium inside Chrome Chromium Tab extension
  • Cubiez – integrates content into the desktop[23]
  • Desura – online game platform
  • Dish World IPTV – streaming video platform
  • Eve Launcher – launcher for Eve Online on Mac OS X,[24] beta launcher on Windows
  • Evernote – notetaking software
  • ExeOutput – allows deploying HTML5/PHP applications as desktop applications[25]
  • ExpanDrive – network file system client
  • Facebook Messenger for Windows
  • Foxmail - freeware email client by Tencent
  • Free Download Manager 5.0 Alpha – free downloads manager (alpha version)
  • GitHub for Windows – GitHub client software for Windows
  • GOG Galaxy - optional game client for GOG.com
  • Google Web Designer – create interactive HTML5 sites and ads
  • Inky – smart email app
  • Intel AppUp Encapsulator – Intel app store software
  • Janetter – Twitter client software[26]
  • JMS4 – a program for joinery companies
  • Kaspersky Security Scan – Scanner from Kaspersky Lab
  • Key4Two – hardware-level secured sharing network[27]
  • Macaw Web Editor – commercial WYSIWYG editor used for web development
  • Mailbird – Windows email software
  • mChef – mIRC browser plugin[28]
  • MediaMan – organizer software
  • MEO Music – streaming music application [29]
  • MetaVR – geographic simulation software[30]
  • MTG Studio – Magic the Gathering deck editor and collection builder software[31]
  • Multi Theft Auto – multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
  • OpenSpace3D – 3D development platform[32]
  • PHP Desktop – develop desktop applications using PHP, HTML 5, Javascript and SQLite[33]
  • PokerStars – online poker cardroom
  • Qobuz Desktop – HD download and streaming music platform[34]
  • Quantel Webtools – allows third party web applications to appear within Quantel editors
  • Rdio – streaming music platform
  • RPG Maker MV – a role-playing game development program suite
  • Savvius Vigil – Enabling network forensics in breach investigations
  • Second Life – online virtual world[35]
  • Sling TV – IPTV service operated by Dish Network.[36]
  • Spotify – streaming music platform[37]
  • StarUML – UML model editor
  • Steam Client – an online game platform
  • Telebreeze player – multiplatform streaming video player[38]
  • Tencent QQ – instant messaging program (its QPlus part) and web browser
  • TOWeb – responsive website creation software
  • Trend Micro – internet security software
  • UBot Studio – internet marketing and web automation software
  • Uplay – an online game platform
  • Upwork – Upwork desktop app
  • WBEA Desktop – deploys HTML5 applications as desktop applications[39]
  • yasoon – app store & platform for Microsoft Outlook
  • stonehearth – a game GUI
  • emWERK Platform – self-service kiosk software
  • League of Legends Game Client

References

  1. ↑ "Versions – Overview of the CEF architecture.".
  2. ↑ "Content API – The Chromium Projects".
  3. ↑ "CEF1 Retirement Plan".
  4. ↑ "CEF 3 Architecture – CEF wiki pages".
  5. ↑ "Single process – Process Models- The Chromium Projects".
  6. ↑ "CEF Git: 1364/cef1/tests/cefclient/".
  7. ↑ "CEF Git: master/tests/cefclient/".
  8. ↑ "CefSimple Tutorial".
  9. ↑ "CEF Git: /1364/cef1/include/".
  10. ↑ "CEF Git: /master/include/".
  11. ↑ "CEF Wiki Pages".
  12. ↑ "delphichromiumembedded – Delphi Chromium Embedded – Google Project Hosting". code.google.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  13. ↑ "dcef3 – Delphi Chromium Embedded 3 – Google Project Hosting". Code.google.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  14. ↑ "HTML 5 based GUI toolkit for the Go language". Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  15. ↑ "javachromiumembedded – Java Wrapper for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".
  16. ↑ "chillitom/CefSharp · GitHub". Github.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  17. ↑ "fddima / CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  18. ↑ "xilium / Xilium.CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  19. ↑ "ChromiumFX – .NET bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".
  20. ↑ "cefpython – Python bindings for Chrome / Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) – Google Project Hosting". Code.google.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  21. ↑ "CEF.swift – Swift bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".
  22. ↑ "AppJS".
  23. ↑ "Cubiez". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  24. ↑ "Eve Launcher – Evelopedia". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  25. ↑ "ExeOutput for PHP". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  26. ↑ "Janetter". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  27. ↑ "Key4Two – i-Patrol Technology LLC". Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  28. ↑ "mChef – mIRC browser plugin". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  29. ↑ "SAPO MEO Music". Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  30. ↑ "MetaVR". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "MTG Studio". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  32. ↑ "OpenSpace3D". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  33. ↑ "PHPDesktop".
  34. ↑ "Quobuz Desktop". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  35. ↑ "Second Life 4.0.0.305703 Release Notes". Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  36. ↑ "Sling TV – Watch Live TV Programming Anytime and Anywhere". Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  37. ↑ "Open Source @ Spotify". Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  38. ↑ "Telebreeze".
  39. ↑ "WBEA Desktop". Retrieved 4 March 2013.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, May 06, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.