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Back-forward cache for desktop

Category: Performance
Type: Chromium catches up
Status: Enabled by default (Chrome 96)
Intent stage: Shipped

Breaking change: No
Enterprise impact: None
Chromium flag: BackForwardCache
Spec maturity: Unknown status
Web Platform Tests: No

WPT details: We are actively making progress in the area. - List of issues to be covered by tests [1] - Discussions on test framework APIs needed for BFCache tests are ongoing around WPT PR [2] and WPT RFCs (86, 88-91) [3]. - We have more draft WPTs [4] that will be ready for code review once the discussions on test framework is settled. [1] https://github.com/whatwg/html/issues/5880 [2] https://github.com/web-platform-tests/wpt/pull/28950 [3] https://github.com/web-platform-tests/rfcs/pull/86#issuecomment-887783246 [4] https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/2798554/

Summary

Creates a cache for pages which allows for instant navigations to previously-visited pages.

Standards & signals

Specification: https://w3ctag.github.io/design-principles/#support-non-fully-active
Firefox: Shipped/Shipping
Safari: Shipped/Shipping
Web developers: No signals
Tracking bug: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1171298

Ecosystem

Web Platform Tests: https://wpt.fyi/results/?q=back-forward-cache-for-desktop
Chrome Platform Showcase: https://chrome-platform-showcase.paulkinlan-ea.deno.net/features
GenDN reference: https://gendn.paulkinlan-ea.deno.net/features
chrome.dev demos search: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Achrome.dev+Back-forward%20cache%20%20for%20desktop
MDN Web Docs: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/search?q=Back-forward%20cache%20%20for%20desktop
Baseline status: https://webstatus.dev/?q=Back-forward%20cache%20%20for%20desktop

Docs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mrgp7XzR16rd1xqFYOJgC1IP0NPLZFaRU5Ukj3-TlLw https://web.dev/bfcache/ https://github.com/rakina/bfcache-explainer#what-is-bfcache

Explainers: https://web.dev/bfcache/

View on chromestatus.com