Discover the Ultimate Web Browsing Experience with Firefox 113's Accessibility Overhaul Mozilla Firefox has always been a favorite among users seeking privacy, seamless cross-platform synchronization, and a powerful browsing experience. With the introduction of its latest update, Firefox 113, the browser is set to make an even bigger impact in the world of web browsing, just in time for Global Accessibility Day on May 18.
The game-changing Firefox 113 update brings an impressive overhaul to the browser's accessibility engine, resulting in significant improvements to assistive technologies such as screen readers. Not only that, but users can now experience blazing-fast speeds of up to 20 times faster on large and complex pages, and two to three times faster for everyday tasks like opening emails and switching tabs.
The Cache the World project, initiated in 2020, laid the groundwork for this remarkable transformation. Android users first enjoyed the fruits of this project in 2022 with Firefox 102, followed by Windows and Linux users in the Firefox 112 release. Now, macOS users can also benefit from these incredible changes in Firefox 113.
Originally, internet browsers were simpler, requiring only a single operating system process for multiple tabs or documents. However, as browsers evolved and security threats increased, a change in architecture was necessary. Firefox, being an older browser than Google Chrome, faced unique challenges in updating its architecture to address both accessibility and security concerns.
Project Cache the World was developed to re-architect Firefox's accessibility engine. The new system asynchronously pushes accessibility trees from each web content process to the main UI process. When assistive technologies query the accessibility tree, all queries are answered from the cache without any calls between Firefox processes. As a result, the browsing experience is significantly faster for those using accessibility tools like screen readers, while also allowing for future improvements and updates.
In conclusion, Firefox 113 demonstrates Mozilla's unwavering commitment to making the internet accessible for everyone. With its innovative architecture and lightning-fast performance, this update is sure to delight users seeking a browser that puts accessibility front and center.