Google Chrome App
{{Short description|Web application that runs on the Google Chrome web browser}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Google Chrome Apps
| logo = Google Chrome.svg
| logo_size = 128px
| screenshot =
| collapsible =
| collapsetext =
| caption =
| url = {{URL|https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps}} (redirects to chrome web store homepage)
| alexa =
| commercial = Yes
| language = English
| registration =
| owner = Google
| author = Google and other app developers
| launch_date = {{start date and age|2010|12|6}}
| current_status = Discontinued
| revenue =
| content_license =
}}
Google Chrome Apps, or commonly just Chrome Apps, were a certain type of non-standardized web application that ran on the Google Chrome web browser. Chrome apps could be obtained from the Chrome Web Store along with various free and paid apps, extensions, and themes. The apps came in two varieties: hosted, or server-side, and packaged, or client-side; each format targeting different use cases.{{cite web |title=Chrome for PC |date=25 October 2023 |url=https://famousfile.com/google-chrome-for-windows/ |accessdate=29 December 2023 |publisher=Famous File}} Support for Chrome Apps in the Chrome Web Store was removed from Chrome in June 2022, except on ChromeOS where support has been extended based on this chart bellow Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS users could add a shortcut of a website as a Chrome app.{{Cite web |title=Add & open Chrome apps - Chrome Web Store Help |author= |work=support.google.com |date= |access-date=8 March 2024 |url= https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053}}
History
On August 19, 2016, Google announced that it would begin phasing out Chrome Apps for Windows, MacOS and Linux (both packaged and hosted) by the end of 2016, finishing the process in early 2018. The company said that such apps would continue to be supported and maintained on ChromeOS "for the foreseeable future".{{cite web|last1=Welch |first1=Chris |title=Google will end support for Chrome apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/19/12555052/google-shutting-down-chrome-apps |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media, Inc.|accessdate=20 August 2016|date=19 August 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Roy-Chowdhury|first1=Rahul|title=From Chrome Apps to the Web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html|website=Chromium Blog|publisher=Google|accessdate=20 August 2016|date=19 August 2016}} The plan later changed, with Chrome Apps set to last until at least January 2025 for ChromeOS.
On January 15, 2020, Google announced that Chrome would begin phasing out support for Chrome Apps completely starting in March 2020, with support for consumers until June 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://blog.chromium.org/2020/08/changes-to-chrome-app-support-timeline.html|title=Changes to the Chrome App Support Timeline|website=Chromium Blog|language=en|access-date=2020-11-18}} On October 14, 2021, Google announced that support from Chrome Apps for Enterprise and Education customers using ChromeOS would be extended until at least January 2025.{{cite web |title=Extending Chrome App Support on Chrome OS |url=https://blog.chromium.org/2021/10/extending-chrome-app-support-on-chrome.html |website=Chromium Blog |access-date=20 June 2024 |language=en}}
The new timeline for chrome apps is now this
- July 2025: End of support for user-installed Chrome Apps (scheduled for ChromeOS M139).
- Chrome Apps that are force-installed through the admin console will continue to be supported.
- Can be overiden with flag #allow-user-installed-chrome-apps
- July 2026: Last ChromeOS release with support for Chrome Apps in Kiosk Mode (scheduled for ChromeOS M150).
- Devices on the LTS channel with Chrome Apps in Kiosk Mode will receive support until April 2027.
- February 2028: Last ChromeOS release with support for Chrome Apps (scheduled for ChromeOS M168), marking the end of life for all Chrome Apps.
- Devices on the LTS channel can continue to use Chrome Apps until October 2028.
- No exceptions will be granted.
Types
Chrome apps can be hosted or packaged. Hosted apps have their background web pages on a remote server and the app acts like a bookmark or shortcut;{{cite web|title=Choosing an App Type|url=https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/choosing|work=Google|accessdate=24 May 2014}} packaged apps have offline functionality making use of local storage.
= Packaged =
Packaged apps were launched on September 5, 2013.{{cite web|title=A new breed of Chrome Apps|url=http://chrome.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-breed-of-chrome-apps.html|work=Google Chrome Blog|publisher=Google|accessdate=24 May 2014}} They have features very similar to a native desktop app, namely offline capable (by default), can interact with hardware devices, and can access local storage.{{cite web|title=What Are Chrome Apps?|url=https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps|work=Google|accessdate=24 May 2014}}{{cite web|last=Lardinois|first=Frederic|title=Chrome's Native-Like Packaged Apps Come Out Of Dev Preview And Head To The Desktop, Now Called "Chrome Apps"|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/05/chromes-native-like-packaged-apps-come-out-of-dev-preview-and-head-to-desktop-now-called-chrome-apps/|work=TechCrunch|date=5 September 2013 |accessdate=24 May 2014}} Packaged apps are not confined to the regular Chrome interface and can display without a classic window menu and operating system user interface elements.
= Hosted =
Hosted apps are the original type of Chrome apps. They contain a single manifest file that contains the URL and additional information about the app. Hosted apps typically require an internet connection and are subject to regular web page security restrictions.{{cite web|title=Hosted Apps|url=https://developers.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide|work=Google|publisher=Google Inc.|accessdate=24 May 2014}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://developer.chrome.com/apps/about_apps What Are Chrome Apps?]
- [https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053 Add & open Chrome apps - Chrome Web Store Help]
{{Google LLC}}