AfterDawn: News

Mozilla releases new Firefox 58 with improved JavaScript performance and more

Once a force to be reckoned with on the browser markets, Mozilla, has been in slow decline ever after the inception of Google Chrome. Now the Norwegian company's Firefox browser holds just over 10 percent of the desktop/laptop market but maybe they are on their way up again after the latest updates.

Firefox was recently given a huge patch to version 57 and now we've got another performance enhancing update for all you browser rebels.



The new Firefox 58 is the first update to Firefox Quantum, as the company calls its largely revamped browser. It brings along many under-the-hood upgrades that speed up many facets of browser, including a JavaScript performance boost of up to a third.

More technically Mozilla has added support for Windows' Off-Main-Thread Painting which allows rendering to be done on a separate thread. Along with better multithread support Firefox 58 includes the previously used Tracking Protection tech that speeds up loading of pages potentially even more.

The updates also added support for Progressive Web Apps (PWA) on Android.

If you want to give the new version a try, download Firefox 58 for Windows here.



Written by: Matti Robinson @ 25 Jan 2018 11:38

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• 3 comments

• supersaiyaman

  once Firefox was the worst browser i could pick but now with the drastic improvements they have bean making i no longer have to use chrome.Firefox is at lest e qell to chrome in speed now.

  27.1.2018 21:54 #1

• joep42

  I have used FF for many years and it is my default and favorite desktop/laptop browser. However I’m staying with the last release (56) prior to Quantum simply because my favorite and most productive FF add-ons no longer work in FF 57. I’m very unhappy with Mozilla for not being able to port add-ons to their new browser. Ultimately, Mozilla may lose this old Finn as a customer.
  
  RetiredGeek

  28.1.2018 17:17 #2

• hearme0

  Firefox once worst browser???
  
  From a technical, practical and implementable standpoint as a network architect, I can say that FF has been steadily the best browser available since its inception. Secure, fast, compatible, extensions galore........and frankly, it's just an f'ing browser so who cares about all the nonsense "extras". So long as it loads pages quickly and works across the board. FF has maintained this much more so than IE, Safari, Opera and even Chrome. Though Chrome knocked FF off its pedestal for a while for some odd reason or another that no one actually knows about.
  
  Sadly though, I see zero difference what-so-ever between 58 and the FIRST QUANTUM RELEASE. Millisecond differences are negligible and matter not.
  
  I really don't see much of a difference between the Quantum release and any somewhat current release prior to that.
  
  All superficial bullshit spewed to maintain relevance just like the "Followers" that people can go out and buy to make themselves look more attractive to the sheeple out there who say.........."hmmm......they all like it so it must be great".........stupid humans!

  30.1.2018 14:51 #3