Chromium Embedded Framework

The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is an open source framework for embedding a web browser engine based on the Chromium core. It is a convenient way to add web browser control and implement an HTML5-based layout GUI in a desktop application or to provide web browser capabilities to a software application or game, and provides the infrastructure developers need to quickly add HTML rendering and JavaScript to a C++ project. It also comes with bindings for C, C++, Delphi, Go, Java, .NET / Mono, and Python and runs on Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.

Overview

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

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

CEF 3 is a multi-process implementation based on the Chromium Content API and has performance similar to Google Chrome. 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.

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

Documentation can be found in the header files located in the "include" directory and on wiki pages.

Adobe Web Engine Team maintains development and stable branches builds for Linux (in 32- and 64-bit forms), Mac and Windows.

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
• Delphi (CEF3) – DCEF 3
• Delphi (CEF3) – CEF4Delphi
• Free Pascal (CEF3) - fpCEF3
• Go (CEF3) – CEF2go
• Java (CEF3) – Java Chromium Embedded
• .NET (CEF1, CEF3) – CefSharp
• .NET (CEF1) – CefGlue
• .NET/Mono (CEF3) – Xilium.CefGlue
• .NET (CEF3) – ChromiumFX
• Python (CEF1, CEF3) – CEF Python
• Swift (CEF3) – CEF.swift

Applications using CEF

• Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• Adobe Dreamweaver - Dreamweaver is a web development tool which uses CEF to control resource loading, navigation and context menus
• Adobe Edge Animate – multimedia authoring tool's
• Adobe Edge Reflow – responsive web design tool
• Amazon Music – media player for PC and Mac
• AOL Desktop - web browser with integrated AOL email and IM clients
• AOL Instant Messenger – instant messaging client that uses CEF on Windows
• Battle.net – game launcher
• Adobe Brackets – open source code editor for the web
• Desura – online game platform
• Dish World IPTV – streaming video platform
• Eve Online The launcher software on Mac OS X contains beta launcher on Windows
• Evernote – notetaking software
• ExpanDrive – network file system client
• Facebook Messenger for Windows
• Foxmail - freeware email client by Tencent
• GitHub for Windows – GitHub client software for Windows
• GOG Galaxy - optional game client for GOG.com
• Google Web Designer – create interactive HTML5 sites and ads
• Inky – smart email app
• Intel AppUp Encapsulator – Intel app store software
• Kaspersky Security Scan – Scanner from Kaspersky Lab
• League of Legends - game launcher
• Macaw Web Editor – commercial WYSIWYG editor used for web development
• Mailbird – Windows email software
• MediaMan – organizer software
• Minecraft – launcher for the game
• Multi Theft Auto – multiplayer engine for PC game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• PokerStars – online poker cardroom
• Qobuz – HD download and streaming music platform
• RPG Maker MV – a role-playing game development program suite
• Second Life – online virtual world
• Sling TV – IPTV service operated by Dish Network.
• Spotify – streaming music platform
• StarUML – UML model editor
• Steam Client – an online game platform
• Tencent QQ – instant messaging program (its QPlus part) and web browser
• TOWeb – responsive website creation software
• Trend Micro – internet security software
• UBot Studio – internet marketing and web automation software
• Unity3D – game engine
• Unreal Engine - game engine
• Uplay – an online game platform
• Xojo - uses CEF3 with its HTMLViewer control on Windows

See also

• Electron
• XULRunner

External links

• Official website