Google created Chromium, the open-source web browser project that underpins Google Chrome and several other browsers.
Google announced Chrome in 2008 and released its source code as Chromium. The project includes browser technologies such as the rendering engine and JavaScript engine used in the Chrome family, while Google Chrome adds proprietary components and branding that are not part of the Chromium distribution.
Chromium became important to startup and developer culture because its open-source codebase enabled other companies and projects to build compatible browsers. Microsoft Edge, for example, moved to a Chromium-based architecture in 2018, and many smaller browsers use Chromium or its components.
A frequent confusion is treating Chromium and Chrome as identical products. Chromium is the open-source project; Google Chrome is a branded browser built from Chromium with additional features, services, and licensing arrangements.