Why TraceMonkey is Going to Blow Your Web Browsing Mind

There's a lot about the next iteration of the open-source Firefox browser to be geeked out about. From private browsing modes to tab preview panels, from punchier colors to really smart session restoring, there's been a lot of thought put into how people want to use the web. But perhaps the greatest promise in Firefox 3.1 is the one most users won't see at all—a serious overhaul of the browser's JavaScript engine, newly christened as TraceMonkey. If you don't obsessively follow the Mozilla developer's blogs or read insider tech news, you might have a few questions about TraceMonkey—like, say, what's different about it, how much faster is it, why that matters, and how you can try it out right now. We've compiled a primer on TraceMonkey's features and uses, as well as how to experience it. Read on to see what's new under the hood in the upcoming Firefox. More »