Internet Explorer 9 beta [ IE9 ]

An overview of the new features of Internet Explorer 9

# What is Browser Performance ?

Firstly you must know what is browser performance? we need to understand what makes a good browser.

There are several sub-systems in the browser that leads to superior browser performance. It includes JavaScript, DOM, HTML parsing, CSS parser, formatting, layout, rendering, etc. Different sites have different requirements and hence the time spent on each of these sub systems. One site might be spending more time in DOM and JavaScript engine whereas other might require time for formatting and layout.

# SunSpider test & Acid3 Test

For checking the improvement in the overall performance of the browser, SunSpider test is commonly used. When the performance of IE9 preview version was tested, the team found it to be better than Firefox and IE8.

Another test of standard compliance is Acid3 which tests around 100 aspects of different technologies. Preview version of IE9 scores 32 out of 100. These scores are bound to improve as the team is still working on factors like CSS selectors.

# Features of Internet Explorer 9

New JavaScript Engine -Chakra

IE team came up with a new code called Chakra. The time that gets wasted by any web application in online running is due to JavaScript. Hence, faster JavaScript engine would mean that the application will run faster. Looking at the demands of people for faster JavaScript engine, this new code was developed. According to the SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks, IE9 is around five times as fast as IE8. Also, Chakra has got valuable features like:

1.Background compilation.

2.Type optimization.

3.Fast interpretation.

4.Library optimization.

# Hardware Acceleration

IE9 has come with the DirectX family of Windows API's (application programming interfaces). This helps the web developers to move the text and graphic rendering from CPU to graphics card. The graphic card is equipped with Direct2D and DirectWrite APIs. Acceleration of graphics would mean graphically rich and intensive sites would open at a faster speed and use less of your CPU. Direct2D has also led to improved font quality and increased readability with positioning of sub-pixel. Also, the web writer need not rewrite the site to be opened in IE9.

# SVG Support

IE9 also has scalable vector graphics which helps in creating powerful and attention grabbing visuals. The SVG features supported in the preview version are:

1.Basic geometrical shapes such as lines, polylines, circle, rectangle, ellipses and polygons.

2.Coordinates systems, units and transforms

3.Full capability of d-attribute, path element and colors.

4.Metadata and extensibility.

5.Document structure, styling and scripting.

# HTML5

We know that HTML is the code on which everything on the net runs. HTML5 is the new and most powerful edition of this code. Along with the features line Cross document messaging, Ajax navigation, DOM storage, ononline and onoffline event handlers that appeared in IE8, HTML5 also has selection APIs element in IE9. This will help IE keep up with the trends that are set with the existing set of web browsers of increasing browsing speed and quality.

HTML5 has improved HTML parsing of generic elements and overlapping tags. This has also improved parsing changes from script to script blocks, parsing SVG in HTML and parsing XHTML.

# CSS

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a style sheet language used to describe the look and formatting of any web pages. IE9 has included several feature of CSS3. CSS2, which was included in IE8, had several complains. Improvements have been done in that direction and the new features of CSS3 added in IE9 are:

1.Backgrounds and borders module

2.Color module

3.Namespace selector module

4.CSS3 selectors

# Features Still Missing

Though IE9 is a good product, especially for web developers, experts feel that there are some features of HTML5 missing in the browser. These features are present in Firefox and Chrome. This includes open web front support, Ogg Theora for videos instead of the existing H.264 codec, web workers and canvas elements. There is another disappointing bullet in the announcement regarding the Windows XP users. It says that IE9 can only be installed if you have Windows Vista or Windows 7. It will not work on Windows XP version.

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