Microsoft joins Google and others to make the web better

Edge Dev Hero 2020 Newfeature (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

What you need to know

Microsoft will work with Google, Igalia, and the web community to improve web compatibility.
The Microsoft Edge team will work to get Chromium to pass 100% of CSS Grid tests.
A Compat 2021 dashboard shows how different web browsers are doing in the 2021 Compat Focus Areas.

Microsoft will work alongside Google, Igalia, and the rest of the web community to improve web compatibility as part of Compat 2021. Microsoft has worked on improving the web for several years and will continue those efforts as part of Compat 2021.

Since Microsoft Edge is built on Chromium, Microsoft's efforts to improve Chromium web compatibility help its own browser, but other Chromium browsers will also see benefits.

Microsoft describes its upcoming efforts for Compat 2021 in a recent blog post:

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For this project, our joint working group identified the focus areas above based on feature usage data, number of bugs (or number of stars/upvotes on a given bug) in each vendor's tracking system, various survey feedback, CanIUse data, and test results from web-platform-tests.We then split focus among the working group to focus on areas in respective implementations. For example, the Microsoft Edge team intends to contribute fixes to Chromium to pass 100% of CSS Grid tests this year and to support work to improve interop across browsers, as well as assisting with triage in web-platform-tests. You can learn more about each focus area, including current pass rates and some of the factors included in our prioritization, over at web.dev.

A Compat 2021 dashboard shows scores for Chrome/Edge Dev, Firefox Nightly, and Safari Preview. The scores show how the browsers are doing on the 2021 Compat Focus Areas. At the moment, Chrome/Edge Dev leads at 86, with Firefox Nightly just behind at 83. Safari Preview is significantly lower at 64.

Microsoft and Google are well-known, but you may not have heard of Igalia. Igalia is an open-source consultancy that works with browsers. Its website states that "Igalia leads the development of essential projects and components in the areas of web rendering and browsers. We have the most WebKit, WPE, Chromium/Blink and Firefox expertise found in the consulting business, including many reviewers and committers."

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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.