# chromiumembedded/cef

Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF). A simple framework for embedding Chromium-based browsers in other applications.

Repository: https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/cef
Homepage: https://chromiumembedded.github.io/cef/
Language: C++
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: cef, chromium, framework, browser
Last push: 2026-08-26T16:02:29+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 77/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3440, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4764, forks 652 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:59.119859+00:00)

## What it is
The Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) is a BSD-licensed C++ framework for embedding Chromium-based browser functionality into third-party applications. It provides stable APIs, binary distributions, and release branches tracking Chromium releases, supporting use cases like embedded browser controls, HTML-based UI shells, and off-screen rendering.

## Use cases
- embed an HTML5 browser control in a native desktop application
- build a native shell app with a web-technology-based UI
- render web content off-screen with a custom drawing framework
- host automated testing of web applications with ChromeDriver
- integrate JavaScript and native code in a hybrid desktop app

## When to choose
- you need a full-featured, standards-compliant browser engine inside a native app
- you want to build desktop UIs with web technologies
- you need off-screen web rendering or web automation in C++ applications

## When to avoid
- you only need a lightweight HTML renderer without full Chromium overhead
- your project cannot handle large binary distributions and complex builds
- you target mobile platforms, which CEF does not support

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: stable
- function: web-framework, gui, http-client, developer-tools
- domain: web-development, desktop-applications, cross-platform, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp, cross-platform
- tags: chromium, embedded-browser, browser-control, html5, offscreen-rendering, javascript-integration, macos, linux, desktop

## Member repositories
- chromiumembedded/cef (main) score 77

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:59.119859+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:18:50.756858+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/chromiumembedded/cef (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:59.119859+00:00, sha 1e3b93cc0ea1)
  - homepage: https://chromiumembedded.github.io/cef/ (fetched 2026-08-29T09:02:10.669810+00:00, sha ae1dcdb1ff94)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.