Why Chrome consumes so much memory and what to do

In the web recently began to appear loud articlesTelling about the shortcomings of Chrome, and the author of the decision to switch to a different browser. Such texts emotional glow reminiscent of his former messages. They contain a long list of grievances and shortcomings, the main among which is quite excessive consumption of system resources. However, there are always these accusations justified? Let's try easy to understand.

Why Google Chrome consumes so much memory?

The modern Internet is very different from how it looked at the time of its introduction. In place of a simple static web pages come complete web applications using a variety of technologies.

Look now on the tab of your browser: in one of them launched an online music player, in another you are reading this article, in the third to open a text editor, which you "for a moment" for Layfhakera distracted, and the fourth is waiting for their turn funny video on YouTube. It has at least four different applications that operate simultaneously in your browser (and some users are kept open even a few dozen tabs).

And switching between these applications, tabs must be instantaneous, you do not want to lose in this process, each time for a few seconds. What does it mean? That all the necessary data to be stored in RAM! Here, of course, a very simplified answer to the question why all modern browsers use so much RAM.

But Chrome uses more than the RAM, than the rest, is not it?

True. And it has a cause. Let's leave aside the allegations that "Krivorukov Indian programmers write the wrong code," and see what's really going on.

1. Chrome uses a multi-process architecture. Each tab and set the browser augmenting its process. This allows Chrome to work steadily, and in the case if, for example, in the above situation, you have on one of the tabs hangs Flash, it will not lead to crash the browser is closed and you will not lose your work results in a text editor.
2. Preloading feature that is designed for quick opening of links. This function He is trying to predict at what is now the link you will go, and loads the required data before you click. Conveniently? Yes, but also it requires RAM.
3. A large number of extensions available. A huge variety of extensions for all occasions is a significant advantage of Chrome. But it is the same with the reckless use can become a big drawback, since each expansion also requires for its operation a certain amount of memory.

So, what is the result? Yes, Chrome browser does use more memory than many of its competitors, but this is done for convenience and fast operation. And now the next question.

The use of large amounts of RAM - is that bad?

Guys, you do what your computer is equipped with all those gigabytes of RAM? In order to open the task manager and upset by the fact that it is all about horror (!) Is used?

Let me remind you that the operational invented memory to load it in the data that may soon need a system for quick access to them. And that provides us with efficient work in general, and instant switching between applications in particular. Therefore, the more complete RAM is used, the better. Constantly worrying about the number of occupied RAM, and even more so to clean it with all sorts of "grooming programs" - is completely useless and even harmful occupation.

Thus, in the ideal situation, the active use Chrome browser RAM is not something objectionable. However, real life sometimes looks quite different, as the developers had planned. Some users are overwhelmed with a myriad of browser extensions installed, accumulating tens and hundreds open tabs, Chrome run in parallel with heavy programs, which themselves are able to "squander" system.

How to reduce appetite Chrome?

So we figured out why the browser consumes a lot of memory, and that in most cases, it's perfectly natural. But what if in your case it becomes a problem?

There are two solutions. The first - to increase the amount of RAM. This upgrade is fairly easy and not too costly to do on the desktop. But the laptop is not always possible, so you have to resort to software optimization. We have already more than once wrote about how to reduce the memory consumption of Google Chrome, therefore, be restricted to a list of necessary actions:

• Use a minimum of extensions.
• Set the DEFAULT theme.
• Disconnect plug-ins.
• Optimize hidden settings.
• Use a special extension for unloading background tabs from memory.

conclusion

Switch from Google Chrome to another browser or not - it is, of course, you. I'm just trying to tell you that the active use of system resources, what is most often criticized the program, is not always a disadvantage. Most often, this property is, on the contrary, provides speed and stability, which equals the browser is still there.

Yes, some of you may be fascinated novelty of sensations and then write rave posts that "in Firefox, it turns out, too, can live!" or "Why I use Opera». But then you still will be thrown back. It is proven to Google.