Intent to Prototype: Background work API

[Chromestatus]

Contact emails

aat...@google.com

Explainer

https://github.com/explainers-by-googlers/background-work-api

Specification

No information provided

Summary

Enables web applications to declare an intent to perform critical, uninterrupted tasks when a page is backgrounded. It provides developers with a structured way to request temporary exemption from aggressive background throttling for essential operations like completing large photo uploads, processing data, or syncing complex application state. This enables reliable background execution without requiring developers to resort to resource-intensive workarounds to prevent the browser from pausing or discarding the tab.

Blink component

Blink>PerformanceAPIs

Web Feature ID

Missing feature

Motivation

Browsers aggressively throttle timers, pause JavaScript via page freezing, and discard tabs on hidden pages to optimize device resources. While this behavior protects battery and memory, it silently disrupts legitimate, user-initiated background tasks such as large media uploads or persistent enterprise console connections. Web developers currently resort to inefficient workarounds—like playing silent audio or maintaining dummy WebRTC connections—to keep tabs alive. These hacks are opaque to users and consume more battery than a native mechanism. A dedicated background permission provides an explicit, user-controlled signal that allows critical application logic and workers to continue running reliably without forcing developers to game browser heuristics.

Initial public proposal

https://github.com/WICG/proposals/issues/300

Goals for experimentation

None

Requires code in //chrome?

False

Tracking bug

https://g-issues.chromium.org/issues/537726566

Estimated milestones

No milestones specified

Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status

https://chromestatus.com/feature/5399684618256384?gate=5145435439235072

This intent message was generated by Chrome Platform Status.