Firefox 4 and Google Chrome 10 is the hottest post in the web for several weeks. So as a user of both Google Chrome and Firefox, I like to compare both browsers in terms of appearance and functionalities.
This Guest Post written by Girish Mony, a crazy Firefox user, and blogs about latest Firefox news, features & add-ons. You can check his blog at Firefox OS.
Comparative Study: Similarities, Differences in User Interface of Chrome & Firefox 4
Installation
Google Chrome requires Internet connection to install.
While Firefox doesn’t need internet connection to install. You need to download the complete install file and you can start to install it in offline. If you are having high speed internet connection, this won’t be a matter, on the contrary, if you have a slow internet connection or no internet connection, installing Google Chrome will be a trouble.
Unlike Internet explorer you don’t need to restart your pc to install the browser. Thanks to both Mozilla and Google for that.
Tab Position
Google chrome from the very first version puts the tab on top in title bar and there is no way to bring it to the bottom.
Firefox started with tab at the bottom till Firefox 3.6. In Firefox 4, it offers tabs on the top. If you don’t like the feature, you can change it by unchecking “Tabs on Top” from ‘view’, ‘Toolbars’ in Menu bar,
Menus
Google Chrome and Microsoft Office engineered the concept of Single Menu button which replaced the classic menu bar. The benefit of this is users get more space to browse.
Firefox started with classic menu bar till Firefox 3.6. Menu button replaces it now like in Opera and Microsoft office. . The main advantage for the old menu lover like me is in Firefox, you can press alt or checking ‘Menu Bar ’ from ‘Tools’ option, which is not available.
Sync
Both browsers have sync inbuilt within itself. While Chrome syncs bookmarks,extensions,apps, themes and browser preferences.
Firefox syncs bookmarks, history, passwords and open tabs.
The advantage of Firefox over Chrome is Firefox syncs open tabs and it syncs different pcs running Firefox and mobile. Advantage of Chrome over Firefox is for Chrome you just need a Google account to sync while Firefox needs a separate sync account.
Options
Google Chrome wins here. While Google Chrome opens options in new tab, Firefox opens options in the same little window. More clear view in Google Chrome than Firefox.
Add on Manager:
Firefox wins here. Both Google Chrome and Firefox offers add on manager in new tab. While Chrome just offers the list of extensions Firefox comes with add on, theme and plugin list and a list of suggestions for new add ons.
Installing add ons or extensions
Google Chrome wins here. From the very beginning, you need not restart Google Chrome to install extensions. In Firefox till 3.6 you need to restart the browser to install add ons. Things are changing after Jetpack SDK is introduced. Now restartless add ons is possible in Firefox 4.0. Since this SDK is in beta phase, not all the popular add ons have been made restartless. On the positive side, list of restartless add on is growing every day.
Installing User scripts
Userscripts.org has a vast gallery of scripts which is similar to add ons or extensions. You can install it directly in Chrome, but in Firefox you need Grease monkey Firefox add on.
Task Manager
This is the unique feature in Google Chrome which is not available in Firefox. You can see process details for every tabs and extensions like which tabs or which extensions take more resource.
Chrome Instant
Google Chrome offers unique instant feature. Now you can just type the url and page pops up instantly before you press enter. This is not available in Firefox. You need high speed internet connection to best use this feature.
Automatic Translation
This is the feature I dearly miss in Firefox. Google Chrome smartly detects the language of the page you are viewing and smartly asks you whether to translate, if the page you are viewing is not written in English language.
Panorama or Tab manager in Firefox 4
This is the most important feature in Firefox 4. Using this you can just group tabs based on your preference and use one group at a time. This is not available in Google Chrome.
Bottom Line : You have seen some exciting features in both sides. Google Chrome is the browser for you if you don’t want to do many changes in browser appearance and you only care is speed and simplicity. On the other hand Firefox is for you, if you want to customize the browser appearance to your wish and use Panorama. I prefer both, because some of my favourite features available only in Firefox while some of the features available only in Chrome. What about you?
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