Google Chrome is getting a great update with the ability to run Linux applications, with a preview set to be launched today on the Google Pixelbook before being deployed later on other models, according to a report from VentureBeat .
It's an important addition to Google's web-based operating system, which has so far offered Chrome-based web applications and, more recently, the ability to run Android applications. But the option to run a full Linux software is the first time that real desktop applications have reached the Chrome operating system.
According to the product manager of the Chrome OS Kan Liu management, users will be able to run Linux tools, editors and integrated development environments directly on Chromebooks, installing them from your usual sources just like they would on a normal Linux machine. According to Liu, "we put the environment of the Linux application within a limited security environment, running inside a virtual machine", with the applications running smoothly together with the web and Android applications in Chrome OS.
Linux support for Chromebooks is still in the early stages of Google, which is one of the reasons why it only comes to the Pixelbook at the moment. Chrome OS will also not offer support for Linux applications as the default; instead, users must go and manually enable it before they can take advantage of the feature.
Also included in The VentureBeat report is the fact that Android Studio for Chrome OS is in development, with a launch scheduled for later this year. In short, it means that Google developers can finally create Android, Chrome OS and web applications directly from their Chromebooks, instead of having to use a separate Windows or Mac machine to do their actual development work.
And while the average user may not get too enthusiastic about Linux software, it's great news for developers and coders who rely on those tools to create new applications and software. Also, given Google's great educational drive with Chrome OS, having the ability to run development environments means that Chromebooks have become an incredibly valuable tool for computer science and engineering students who are learning how to code.