Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

firefox.exe Process

more options

One quick question.

Why is there so many process in Windows Task Manager while i'm only opened 1 tab?? I'm on Quantum 64 bit.

Proof: https://s18.postimg.org/usr6okdq1/Twittercc2d140.jpg

So, what's the point of "30% less memory than Chrome"? It's basically same with Firefox ver. 56 and older ver.

One quick question. Why is there so many process in Windows Task Manager while i'm only opened 1 tab?? I'm on Quantum 64 bit. Proof: https://s18.postimg.org/usr6okdq1/Twittercc2d140.jpg So, what's the point of "30% less memory than Chrome"? It's basically same with Firefox ver. 56 and older ver.

Chosen solution

In layman's terms, Firefox runs a different process for some things in order to be more stable.

Read this answer in context 👍 2

All Replies (5)

more options

Electrolysis functionality hosts, renders, or executes web related content in background child processes which communicate with the "parent" Firefox browser via various ipdl protocols. The two major advantages of this model are security and performance. Security improvements are accomplished through security sandboxing, performance improvements are born out of the fact that multiple processes better leverage available client computing power.

Electrolysis child processes are currently in use for the following tasks within Firefox:

   Legacy NPAPI plugin hosting
   Media playback ('Gecko Media Plugin', a.k.a. 'GMP')
   Web content ('content processes')
   [Fx53] GPU Process (Windows Only) bug 1264543
   [Fx54] file://URL access process bug 1147911
   [Fx55] Web Extensions bug 1190679
   [Fx55, Fx56] ServiceWorker and in the future SharedWorker threads bug 1231208
more options

Moses said

Electrolysis functionality hosts, renders, or executes web related content in background child processes which communicate with the "parent" Firefox browser via various ipdl protocols. The two major advantages of this model are security and performance. Security improvements are accomplished through security sandboxing, performance improvements are born out of the fact that multiple processes better leverage available client computing power. Electrolysis child processes are currently in use for the following tasks within Firefox: Legacy NPAPI plugin hosting Media playback ('Gecko Media Plugin', a.k.a. 'GMP') Web content ('content processes') [Fx53] GPU Process (Windows Only) bug 1264543 [Fx54] file://URL access process bug 1147911 [Fx55] Web Extensions bug 1190679 [Fx55, Fx56] ServiceWorker and in the future SharedWorker threads bug 1231208

Umm.. I'm so sorry.. But, could you make the answer simpler..? I tried to open link you provide, and doesn't understand at all. Sad.

more options

Chosen Solution

In layman's terms, Firefox runs a different process for some things in order to be more stable.

more options

Thank you very much for the answer. Problem solved.

more options

Is there anything I can change in the settings to override this? It uses a WHOLE lot of memory and the machine crashes.