Google Chrome gets Native Code Execution with Native Client

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Google Chrome with it’s latest dev version 4.0.220.1 is loaded with a number of expected fixes and surprisingly new innovative feature: the Native Client on x86 Windows OS.

The Native Client called  NaCl is an open source initiative that targets on running x86 native code in web apps. Now Google has taken a  step further by integrating  NaCl into Chrome. Google has blessed the browser space with a unique feature that could pave future of Chrome OS, by running applications on the net.

Typically, Web browsers run applications written in JavaScript or perhaps Flash, both of them running on a programming foundation that makes those programs slower than native software. But, the next new step, Native Client, lets programmers write software that directly taps into x86 chip models such as AMD’s Athlon or Intel’s Core. Special programming tools and a screening mechanism in the Native Client software itself are designed to provide security for what has historically been the risky process of downloading executable programs from the Net.
Google intends to align web apps closer to native apps on a typical x86 operating system – Sincerely, I see this as the first step to Chrome OS.

Google gets dual benefit from this- Developers can play around with the code and possibly add their contributions as new ideas, bug fixes. On the other side, they form the root of their OS that is already being innovated by the internal team. All in all, they get best of the worlds, the true spirit of Open Source.

Currently, the Dev preview version of the Chrome browser comes witht this functionality which is switched off by default, and needs a command-line switch added to enable NaCl when Chrome is launched.

How To Enable:

Navigate to the chrome folder and run chrome.exe with following arguments:

Windows 7: C:\Users\taranfx\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application

XP: C:\Documents and Settings\taranfx\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application

>chrome.exe –internal-nacl

For the rest of the guide on how to run the native code via browser, follow the google’s guide here.

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6 thoughts on “Google Chrome gets Native Code Execution with Native Client”

  1. Microsoft allows to embed ActiveX components in Internet Explorer and frankly received over the years a lot of complaints (or worse) for security reasons.
    What is the difference between Google's NaCl and Microsoft's ActiveX components running inside ie?
    Why should Google's NaCl be safer?

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    • Unlike ActiveX, NaCl runs in a sandbox. Also there is an internal code analysis done prior to executing NaCl plugins to check for techniques that can be used to break out of the sandbox. Chrome and NaCl is a very positive development for Windows users.

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