--- title: "Microsoft's Chromium-based browser arrives" publication: "Frontend Focus" issue: 423 published_at: "2020-01-15" canonical_url: "https://frontendfoc.us/issues/423" --- This week's HTML, CSS and browser news #423 — January 15, 2020 [Read on the Web](https://frontendfoc.us/issues/423) Frontend Focus [![\](https://res.cloudinary.com/cpress/image/upload/w_1280,e_sharpen:60/v1579000732/wqmfk97yu8gfdlnkqg9z.jpg)](https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2020/01/15/upgrading-new-microsoft-edge-79-chromium/) [Microsoft's Chromium-Powered Browser Arrives](https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2020/01/15/upgrading-new-microsoft-edge-79-chromium/) — The new version of Microsoft Edge is now out of preview and [available for download](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge). Developer documentation for the updated browser [can be found here](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/). (_So, what's the nickname for this one then? Edgium? Credge?_ 😅) Kyle Pflug (Microsoft) [Google to Phase Out User-Agent Strings in Chrome](https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent-strings-in-chrome/) — User agent strings have been a part of the Web since (almost) the very beginning, but there’s a growing movement to reduce their status. Chrome [plans](https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/m/#!msg/blink-dev/-2JIRNMWJ7s/yHe4tQNLCgAJ) to shift to using [_Client Hints_](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Client_hints) and Apple, Microsoft and Mozilla have shown interest in freezing or phasing out user agent strings too. Catalin Cimpanu [![\](https://copm.s3.amazonaws.com/c46c9449.png)](https://pages.awscloud.com/awsmp-prepare-your-data-pipleline.html?&trk=el_a131L0000083M8uQAE&trkCampaign=AWSMP_EH_2020_Q1_Evergreen_OPS&sc_outcome=Marketplace) [On-Demand Webinar: How to Prepare Your Data Pipeline for Machine Learning and AI](https://pages.awscloud.com/awsmp-prepare-your-data-pipleline.html?&trk=el_a131L0000083M8uQAE&trkCampaign=AWSMP_EH_2020_Q1_Evergreen_OPS&sc_outcome=Marketplace) — Training-based session on transforming your data to power machine learning and AI projects. Use AWS Data Pipeline to automate data movement and transformation and explore software solutions in AWS Marketplace that make your data analytics-ready. Amazon Web Services (AWS) sponsor [Chrome Experimenting with Web NFC Implementation](https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/#!msg/blink-dev/8bsAd-PsdbA/ZTcgiwf7CQAJ) — Web NFC aims to provide a way for sites to read and write to a nearby NFC tag. Google are currently experimenting with implementing the API with a view to shipping in Chrome 84. You can [scrub up on the spec here](https://w3c.github.io/web-nfc/), and try [a Chrome-only demo (behind a flag) here](https://web-nfc-demo.glitch.me). François Beaufort [A Short History of Body Copy Sizes on the Web](https://fvsch.com/body-copy-sizes/) — An interesting look into how default text sizes have changed over the years, some thoughts as to why we’ve seemingly landed on `16px` as the default, and what modern variable solutions are emerging. Florens Verschelde [Get Started Building Extensions for The New Microsoft Edge](https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2019/12/16/get-started-extensions-addons-microsoft-edge-chromium/) — Now that it's here, you may want to look into developing an extension for Microsoft’s new version of Edge. The good news is that **most existing extensions built for Chrome will work without any modifications.** Killian McCoy [Google Plans to Kill Off Third-Party Cookies in Chrome 'Within 2 Years'](https://digiday.com/media/google-plans-kill-off-third-party-cookies-chrome-within-2-years/) — The search giant is setting out a long grace period for its intended browser change and is asking the online advertising industry to help it build more privacy-focused alternatives to the cookie. [Here's Google's blog post on it](https://blog.chromium.org/2020/01/building-more-private-web-path-towards.html?m=1). Digiday 💻 **Jobs** [Full-Stack or Front-End Engineer - Rails/React (Remote/NYC)](https://jobs.lever.co/tempest/1847eb07-740b-4da4-916d-92c08686ec53?lever-origin=applied&lever-source%5B%5D=Cooper%20Press%20FrontEnd%20Focus) — Got 2+ years of experience? Come help build the next iteration of our growing digital recovery platform centered on providing alcohol abuse treatment. TEMPEST [Find a Job Through Vettery](https://www.vettery.com/tech?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=cooper-frontendfocus&utm_term=tech&utm_content=grouped&utm_campaign=ad-77580) — Vettery is completely free for job seekers. Make a profile, name your salary, and connect with hiring managers from top employers. Vettery 📙 **Articles, Tutorials & Opinion** [Why You Should Choose `<``article>` over `<``section>`](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2020/01/html5-article-section/) — _“Think of
not just as a newspaper article, or a blog post, but as an article of clothing — a discrete entity that can be reused in another context.”_ This has key implications for users using assistive technology like screen readers. Bruce Lawson [CSS4 Is Here](https://www.quirksmode.org/blog/archives/2020/01/css4_is_here.html) — Of course, _it isn’t_ - but PPK argues that saying as much may be a good marketing move to entice the 'cult of new'. Peter-Paul Koch [Text Links: Best Practices for Screen Readers](https://www.deque.com/blog/text-links-practices-screen-readers/) — Compares screen reader behavior for `aria-label` and `title` attributes on text links. This sort of stuff is always worth scrubbing up on. Sailesh Panchang [Make 2020 the Year to Master MongoDB. Try Studio 3T Today](https://studio3t.com/download/?utm_source=cooper&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=fefjan15) — Generate driver code for JavaScript, Python, Ruby and more? Build queries fast with our drag & drop editor? Of course. Studio 3T sponsor [A Basic Example of the Web Share API](https://dillionmegida.com/p/web-share-api/) — The Web Share API enables native sharing (via other apps/social networks) on pages. Dillion Megida [The End of Indie Web Browsers: You Can (Not) Compete](https://blog.samuelmaddock.com/posts/the-end-of-indie-web-browsers/) — Explores how DRM in browsers (_in place to appease the Netflix’s and HBO’s of the world_) has somewhat restricted independent browser development. Samuel Maddock [Pixels Vs. Relative Units in CSS: Why It’s Still A Big Deal](https://www.24a11y.com/2019/pixels-vs-relative-units-in-css-why-its-still-a-big-deal/) Kathleen McMahon [Why Should You Use HSL Color Representation in CSS?](https://tsh.io/blog/why-should-you-use-hsl-color-representation-in-css/) Mateusz Piguła ▶[Building Resilient Frontend Architecture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqfbAXCCVwE) Monica Lent [CSS-Only Carousel](https://css-tricks.com/css-only-carousel/) — A look at just how far HTML and CSS will take you when building a carousel/slideshow. Chris Coyier [Fixed Table Headers](https://adrianroselli.com/2020/01/fixed-table-headers.html) — Revisiting how to build a table with fixed headers using `position: sticky`. Adrian Roselli [Seven CSS Properties You Had No Idea About](https://dev.to/tlakomy/7-css-properties-you-had-no-idea-about-4e75) — I wasn’t familiar with `bleed`, `caret-color` and the now deprecated `azimuth` properties. Tomasz Łakomy 🔧 **Code, Tools and Resources** [Tailwind CSS Adds Grid Support](https://github.com/tailwindcss/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v1.2.0-canary.4) — Note this is only the pre-release of version 1.2.0, but adds plenty, including CSS Transition, Transform & Grid support. Tailwind CSS [Variable Fonts](https://v-fonts.com/) — This site isn’t new, but continues to be a handy resource for both finding and trying out a growing collection of variable fonts. Nick Sherman [CFP for ForwardJS San Francisco and Ottawa Now OPEN](https://forwardjs.com) ForwardJS sponsor [Palettab](https://palettab.com/) — If you’re constantly on the source for color palette inspiration then this Chrome extension may be just the ticket. It shows a color swatch and font pairing on every new tab. Tim Holman & Claudio Guglieri [Tiny Helpers](https://tiny-helpers.dev/) — Some good stuff in this growing collection of single-purpose online tools for web devs. Stefan Judis [Harp: A Static Web Server with Built-in Preprocessing](http://harpjs.com/) Chloi Inc. 🗓 **Upcoming Events** [Flashback Conference, February 10-11 — Orlando, USA](https://cfe.dev/events/flashback-conference-2020/) — Looks at cutting-edge web dev, browser APIs and tooling, but adds how they’ve evolved from the past to the web of today. [Frontend Developer Love, February 19-21 — Amsterdam, Netherlands](https://frontenddeveloperlove.com) — Three full days of talks from 35+ global JavaScript leaders from around the world. [ConveyUX, March 3-5 — Seattle, USA](https://conveyux.com) — This West Coast user experience conference features over 65 sessions across three days. [W3C Workshop on Web & Machine Learning, 24-25 March — Berlin, Germany](https://www.w3.org/blog/news/archives/8238) — Hosted by Microsoft, this free event aims to “_bring together providers of Machine Learning tools and frameworks with Web platform practitioners to enrich the Open Web Platform with better foundations for machine learning_”. A **[Cooperpress](https://cooperpress.com/)** publication — Curated by [Chris Brandrick](https://twitter.com/chrisbrandrick) & [Peter Cooper](https://twitter.com/peterc). [Change your email address](https://frontendfoc.us/edit_subscription/*|UID|*) or[Stop getting this newsletter](https://frontendfoc.us/leave/*|UID|*) © Cooper Press Ltd · Fairfield Enterprise Centre, Louth, LN11 0LS, United Kingdom