Google and Mozilla are prepared for Chrome and Firefox model 100 to interrupt some web sites

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge are about to hit model 100, in a triple launch that would break some web sites. The transfer to model 100 within the coming weeks might end in bugs or compatibility points on some web sites not able to learn triple-digit user-agent strings. Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft are busy making an attempt preempt any large points.

Mozilla, Google, and Microsoft have been warning concerning the upcoming model 100 launch for months, which is about to drop in March for each Chrome and Edge, adopted by Firefox in May. Mozilla and Google have each been working experiments to check web sites and report breakages. There’s a running list of issues, which is pretty small proper now, and Engadget notes that the notable websites affected embrace HBO Go, Bethesda, and Yahoo.

“When browsers first reached version 10 a little over 12 years ago, many issues were discovered with User-Agent parsing libraries as the major version number went from one digit to two,” explains a staff of internet builders in a Mozilla blog. Much just like the notorious Y2K bug that made the 12 months 2000 indistinguishable from 1900 for some computer systems, browsers have completely different codecs for user-agent strings, and “it’s possible that some parsing libraries may have hard-coded assumptions or bugs that don’t take into account three-digit major version numbers.”

While there are issues round some web sites breaking, loads of onerous work has been happening behind the scenes — very similar to what occurred to keep away from main complications with the Y2K bug 22 years in the past — to make the transition to model 100 go easily. Developers can allow a particular flag in present variations of Chrome, Edge, and Firefox to make the browsers report as model 100 and help in testing websites.

There are additionally plans in place if there are widespread points. Mozilla says it would both scorching repair damaged web sites or briefly freeze Firefox’s main model at 99 if breakages are widespread and unmanageable. Google’s backup plan is to make use of a flag to freeze the foremost model at 99, and Microsoft hasn’t detailed a backup plan so far as we are able to inform.