Google has always been a champion ofopen source software. Chromium, which powers theChrome browser, and the Android operating system are perfect examples of Google’s massive contributions to open source projects. But the company has many more projects in production, most of which nobody has heard of. Some of these will probably never see the light of day, but sometimes one works out and becomes a part of our digital lives. So, let’s take a look at six of Google’s more interesting open source projects that you may not have heard of.
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The C++ successor in the making
C++ is a powerful programming language that has been a cornerstone of software development for decades. As software becomes more complex, the language’s age is beginning to show. Enter Google’s attempt to replace it with a more modern programming language, called Carbon.
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Carbon is a Google-backed open source projectfound on GitHub. It is being designed for interoperability with C++ so that programs built with the older language will still be usable.
Advantages
A framework for tiny devices
Small and powerful devices comprise most of the Internet of Things (IoT).Google is creating Pigweedto provide a versatile framework that can help streamline their development. It’s a collection of libraries and tools and serves as a foundation for anything that depends on microcontrollers (tiny computers inside our smallest gadgets).
3D compression magic
You’ll find 3D models everywhere, in games, movies, VR, and digital design tools.Google’s Dracois an open source library that helps tackle the challenge of compressing large 3D files to be exported. Draco compresses 3D mesh geometry, making these huge models easier to store or transmit.
Code without all the typing
Programming is a key skill needed today and in the future but is unfortunately overlooked in most schools. Google wants to help children learn and has created a simple and interactive programming system calledBlocklyto achieve this. It’s a visual programming editor that uses jigsaw-like blocks instead of complex typed-out code.
5Liquidfun
Bringing liquid dynamics to life
LiquidFunis the tool you need if you want to realistically simulate liquid dynamics in a presentation or app. It’s a 2D physics engine, developed by Google, that makes liquids come alive on your screen. you may watch it splash, ooze, or even slosh. Fun!
6AndroidX Media3
Android’s video player
Every app on your phone that plays a video most likely uses Google’s video player. Android used a video player called ExoPlayer for years, and now Google is replacing it withAndroidX Media3. This open source project builds upon the core strengths of ExoPlayer and reimagines it for the evolving media landscape.
Google is open source’s best friend
Google’s contributions to the world of open source software are worthy of praise. The projects highlighted here are only a small sampling of what Google has in the works. But these showcase Google’s commitment to furthering the web and making technology more accessible for everyone. It will be fascinating to see how these projects mature as developers improve and integrate them into their work.
Don’t hesitate to dive into Google’s open source projects. Who knows what other little-known projects you’ll find?
