Chromium Embedded Framework: Difference between revisions

Chromium Embedded Framework
Developer(s)	Marshall Greenblatt
Initial release	June 1, 2009; 15 years ago
Stable release	92.0.27 (g274abcf) Chromium 92.0.4515.159 / August 14, 2021; 2 years ago
Repository	bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef ;
Written in	C++
Operating system	Windows; Linux; macOS;
Type	Framework, Web browser
License	BSD
Website	bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef

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The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is an open-source software framework for embedding a Chromium web browser within another application. This enables developers to add web browsing functionality to their application, as well as the ability to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the application's user interface (or just portions of it).

CEF runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It has many language bindings including C, C++, Go, Java, and Python.

Overview

There are two versions of Chromium Embedded Framework: CEF 1 and CEF 3.^[3] Development of CEF 2 was abandoned after the appearance of the Chromium Content API.^[4]

CEF 1 is a single-process implementation based on the Chromium WebKit API. It is no longer actively developed or supported.^[5]

CEF 3 is a multi-process implementation based on the Chromium Content API and has performance similar to Google Chrome.^[6] It uses asynchronous messaging to communicate between the main application process and one or more render processes (Blink + V8 JavaScript engine). It supports PPAPI plugins and extensions, both internal (PDF viewer) or externally loadable. The single-process run mode is not supported, but still present; currently is being used for debugging purposes only.^[7]

On March 16, 2019, the CEF version numbering changed with the release of CEF 73.1.3+g46cf800+chromium-73.0.3683.75. The previous release on March 14, 2019 was CEF 3.3683.1920.g9f41a27. Both of these releases were based on Chromium 73.0.3683.75, however the new version numbering has the major number the same as the Chromium major version number it is based on.

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.^[8]^[9] Newer versions include a sample application called CefSimple that, along with an accompanying tutorial, show how to create a simple application using CEF 3.^[10]

Documentation can be found in the header files located in the "include" directory^[11]^[12] and on wiki pages.^[13]

Spotify 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:

Delphi (CEF1) – DCEF 1^[14]
Delphi (CEF3) – DCEF 3^[15]
Delphi (CEF3) – CEF4Delphi^[16]
Delphi (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Dyalog APL (CEF3) – HTMLRenderer^[17]
Free Pascal (CEF3) - fpCEF3^[18]
Go (CEF3) – CEF2go^[19]
Java (CEF3) – Java Chromium Embedded^[20]
.NET (CEF1, CEF3) – CefSharp^[21]
.NET (CEF1) – CefGlue^[22]
.NET/Mono (CEF3) – Xilium.CefGlue^[23]
.NET (CEF3) – ChromiumFX^[24]
.NET (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Python (CEF1, CEF3) – CEF Python^[25]
Swift (CEF3) – CEF.swift^[26]
Visual Basic 6 (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX^[27]
Visual FoxPro (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
PowerBuilder (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Ruby (via the 'win32ole' library) (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Visual Basic for Applications 2003/2007/2010/2015/2016 (VBA, Access, Excel) (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2010/2015/2017 (VB.Net, C#, C++, 32-bit and 64-bit) (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Xojo (for Windows apps, 32-bit and 64-bit) (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Qt (any Windows version, only for 32-bit) (CEF3) – WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
CodeTyphon Studio -package pl_CEF
Embarcadero RAD Studio (VCL C++) (CEF3) - WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX
Broadcom CA PLEX (VBScript / C++) (CEF3) - WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX

Applications using CEF

4D – relational database management system and IDE
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Dreamweaver – web development tool which uses CEF to control resource loading, navigation and context menus^[28]
Adobe Edge Animate – multimedia authoring tools
Adobe Edge Reflow – responsive web design tool
AIM – instant messaging client that uses CEF on Windows
alt:V - multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto V
Amazon Music Player – official media player for Amazon Music
AOL Desktop – web browser with integrated AOL email and IM clients
Autodesk Inventor – 3D design tool. Since version 2015, it uses CEF for the 'My Home' feature, a home-page that allows users to create new CAD files and view tutorials.
Battle.net App – official client for Battle.net
BeamNG.drive – uses CEF to render UI
Bitdefender Safepay Browser – part of Bitdefender Internet Security software^[29]
Brackets – open source code editor for the web
Desura client – official client for Desura
Dish World IPTV – streaming video platform
Epic Games Launcher – official client for Epic Games Store
Eve Online launcher – official launcher for Eve Online^[30]
ExpanDrive – network file system client
Facebook Messenger for Windows
Foxmail – freeware email client by Tencent
GOG Galaxy – official client for GOG.com
Google Web Designer – create interactive HTML5 sites and ads
Grand Theft Auto Online – multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto V
Intel AppUp Encapsulator – Intel app store software
KKBox – streaming music platform
League of Legends launcher – official launcher for League of Legends^[31]
LiveCode – multi-platform app development software^[32]
Mailbird – Windows email software
MATLAB – Uses CEF for its uifigures
MediaMan – organizer software
Microsoft Power BI – Business Intelligence software^[33]
Minecraft Launcher – official launcher for Minecraft^[34]
Multi Theft Auto – multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
OBS Studio - Live streaming software^[35]
PHP Desktop – provide a way for developing native desktop GUI applications using web technologies such as PHP, HTML5, JavaScript and SQLite.
PokerStars – online poker cardroom
Qobuz – HD download and streaming music platform^[36]
QuarkXPress – JavaScript support
RAGE Multiplayer - multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games Launcher – official client for Social Club
Second Life – online virtual world^[37]
Sling TV – IPTV service operated by Dish Network.^[38]
Spotify – streaming music platform^[39]
StarUML – UML model editor
Steam client – official client for Steam
Tencent QQ – instant messaging program (its QPlus part) and web browser
TOWeb – responsive website creation software
Trend Micro Internet Security – antivirus software
Ubisoft Connect client – official client for Ubisoft Connect
UBot Studio – internet marketing and web automation software
Uniface – Uniface runtime and development environment
Unity – game engine
Unreal Engine – game engine
Xojo – uses CEF with its HTMLViewer control on Windows

References

^ "CEF3 WIKI Current Releases Supported".
^ "CEF Automated Builds".
^ "Versions – Overview of the CEF architecture".
^ "Content API – The Chromium Projects".
^ "CEF1 Retirement Plan".
^ "CEF 3 Architecture – CEF wiki pages".
^ "Single process – Process Models- The Chromium Projects".
^ "CEF Git: 1364/cef1/tests/cefclient/".
^ "CEF Git: master/tests/cefclient/".
^ "CefSimple Tutorial".
^ "CEF Git: /1364/cef1/include/".
^ "CEF Git: /master/include/".
^ "CEF Wiki Pages".
^ "delphichromiumembedded – Delphi Chromium Embedded – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.
^ "dcef3 – Delphi Chromium Embedded 3 – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.
^ "GitHub - salvadordf/CEF4Delphi: CEF4Delphi is an open source project to embed Chromium-based browsers in applications made with Delphi". github.com. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ "HTMLRenderer User Guide" (PDF). dyalog.com. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
^ "Chromium Embedded Framework for Free Pascal". Retrieved 2017-01-31.
^ "HTML 5 based GUI toolkit for the Go language". Retrieved 2014-02-06.
^ "javachromiumembedded – Java Wrapper for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".
^ "chillitom/CefSharp · GitHub". Github.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
^ "fddima / CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
^ "xilium / Xilium.CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2012-12-26.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "ChromiumFX – .NET bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)". Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2015-03-21.
^ "cefpython – Python bindings for Chrome / Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.
^ "CEF.swift – Swift bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".
^ "WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX – Visual Studio 2015 C++11 MFC/ATL ActiveX for VB6".
^ "CEF integration in Dreamweaver".
^ "Bitdefender Total Security".
^ "Eve Launcher – Evelopedia". Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
^ "The Architecture of the League Client Update". Riot Games Engineering. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
^ "How To Add a Web Browser to Your App". LiveCode. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
^ "Microsoft PowerBI". Microsoft. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
^ "Help us test the new Minecraft launcher! Check the comments for instructions. • /r/Minecraft". reddit. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
^ obs-browser, OBS Project, 2021-10-21, retrieved 2021-10-22
^ "Quobuz Desktop". Retrieved 4 March 2013.
^ "Second Life 4.0.0.305703 Release Notes". Retrieved 7 April 2016.
^ "Sling TV – Watch Live TV Programming Anytime and Anywhere". Retrieved 27 August 2015.
^ "Open Source @ Spotify". Retrieved 2 March 2016.

External links

Official website

[1] "CEF3 WIKI Current Releases Supported".

[2] "CEF Automated Builds".

[3] "Versions – Overview of the CEF architecture".

[4] "Content API – The Chromium Projects".

[5] "CEF1 Retirement Plan".

[6] "CEF 3 Architecture – CEF wiki pages".

[7] "Single process – Process Models- The Chromium Projects".

[8] "CEF Git: 1364/cef1/tests/cefclient/".

[9] "CEF Git: master/tests/cefclient/".

[10] "CefSimple Tutorial".

[11] "CEF Git: /1364/cef1/include/".

[12] "CEF Git: /master/include/".

[13] "CEF Wiki Pages".

[14] "delphichromiumembedded – Delphi Chromium Embedded – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.

[15] "dcef3 – Delphi Chromium Embedded 3 – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.

[16] "GitHub - salvadordf/CEF4Delphi: CEF4Delphi is an open source project to embed Chromium-based browsers in applications made with Delphi". github.com. Retrieved 25 February 2017.

[17] "HTMLRenderer User Guide" (PDF). dyalog.com. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

[18] "Chromium Embedded Framework for Free Pascal". Retrieved 2017-01-31.

[19] "HTML 5 based GUI toolkit for the Go language". Retrieved 2014-02-06.

[20] "javachromiumembedded – Java Wrapper for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".

[21] "chillitom/CefSharp · GitHub". Github.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.

[22] "fddima / CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2012-12-26.

[23] "xilium / Xilium.CefGlue / wiki / Home — Bitbucket". Bitbucket.org. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2012-12-26.^{[permanent dead link]}

[24] "ChromiumFX – .NET bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)". Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2015-03-21.

[25] "cefpython – Python bindings for Chrome / Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) – Google Project Hosting". Retrieved 2012-12-26.

[26] "CEF.swift – Swift bindings for the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF)".

[27] "WebKitX CEF3 ActiveX – Visual Studio 2015 C++11 MFC/ATL ActiveX for VB6".

[28] "CEF integration in Dreamweaver".

[29] "Bitdefender Total Security".

[30] "Eve Launcher – Evelopedia". Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2013.

[31] "The Architecture of the League Client Update". Riot Games Engineering. Retrieved 21 March 2017.

[32] "How To Add a Web Browser to Your App". LiveCode. Retrieved 10 November 2015.

[33] "Microsoft PowerBI". Microsoft. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

[34] "Help us test the new Minecraft launcher! Check the comments for instructions. • /r/Minecraft". reddit. Retrieved 2016-10-25.

[35] obs-browser, OBS Project, 2021-10-21, retrieved 2021-10-22

[36] "Quobuz Desktop". Retrieved 4 March 2013.

[37] "Second Life 4.0.0.305703 Release Notes". Retrieved 7 April 2016.

[38] "Sling TV – Watch Live TV Programming Anytime and Anywhere". Retrieved 27 August 2015.

[39] "Open Source @ Spotify". Retrieved 2 March 2016.

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@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 * Minecraft Launcher – official launcher for [[Minecraft]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Minecraft/comments/59b7m0/help_us_test_the_new_minecraft_launcher_check_the/|title=Help us test the new Minecraft launcher! Check the comments for instructions. • /r/Minecraft|website=reddit|access-date=2016-10-25}}</ref>
 * [[Multi Theft Auto]] – multiplayer engine for PC game [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]
+*[[OBS Studio]] - Live streaming software<ref>{{Citation|title=obs-browser|date=2021-10-21|url=https://github.com/obsproject/obs-browser|publisher=OBS Project|access-date=2021-10-22}}</ref>
 * [https://github.com/cztomczak/phpdesktop PHP Desktop] – provide a way for developing native desktop GUI applications using web technologies such as PHP, HTML5, JavaScript and SQLite.
 * [[PokerStars]] – online poker [[cardroom]]