On a computer, Google Chrome will be able to load the pages you have just left almost instantly thanks to the back-forward cache already present on the Android version.
Web browsers today do much more than simply display the pages you want to consult during your surfing sessions. The functionalities are very numerous, without even mentioning the extensions that it is possible to add to them. And everything is designed to offer a smooth and fast experience. On computer, Google Chrome will be able to load the pages you have just left almost instantly.
Google Chrome offers the back-forward cache on computer
If you are using Google Chrome on your mobile device, you may have noticed that when you return to a page that you have just visited, it loads almost instantly. This is possible because Chrome on mobile, more precisely on Android, has a feature called “back-forward cache”. This allows it to keep a page “active” temporarily so that, if you decide to return to it, it can be loaded in a flash.
To instantly reload pages you left recently
According to the Google statement, “the back-forward cache is a browser feature that improves the user experience by keeping a page alive after the user leaves it and uses session history navigation (buttons previous / next, history.back (), etc) to make browsing instantaneous. The pages in the cache are frozen and do not execute any javascript content. ”
The good news is, if you use Google Chrome on your computer, you will be able to take advantage of this functionality. Indeed, this “back-forward cache” will be available on Windows, macOS and Linux versions of the Mountain View firm’s web browser. Note, some elements of the pages will always need to be reloaded sometimes, but in the majority of cases, the pages will be reloaded instantly.
In any case, this is a very nice feature, and very appreciable on a daily basis. To take advantage of it, just make sure you have the latest version of the browser on your computer.