Rendering Engine

This page allows you to select and configure the HTML rendering engine for your eBooks or applications created with HTML Executable.

About the HTML Rendering Engines Used by Applications

HTML Executable allows end users to navigate through the pages of your eBook or application. It offers two options for the HTML rendering engine: WebView2 and Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF), both capable of rendering HTML content.

HTML Executable lets you choose between WebView2, a Microsoft Edge (Chromium) based technology, and CEF, a Chromium-based framework. The choice depends on your specific needs and the compatibility of your content.

See Choosing The Rendering Engine topic for further details about the possible choices.

Any HTML page that is compatible with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (Chromium) should be successfully rendered by the chosen engine, maintaining its functionality. However, unlike a web browser, the HTML and PDF source files of your eBook or application are never directly accessible by the end user. Furthermore, your eBook or application can leverage HTML5, JavaScript, CSS3, video, audio and PDF files.

No web server is required: HTML Executable uses its own internal protocol to display pages as if they were hosted on a remote server. Any compiled file in your eBook or application can be accessed as if it were a normal webpage.

CEF Properties

See Customize the Chromium Browser options

WebView2 Properties

See Customize the WebView2 Browser options

Selecting the CEF version to use

Unless your project requires the Flash player and you can not use the Ruffle alternative, we recommend that you always use the latest version of the CEF renderer. However, if you still want to use the Flash player, choose the option named "CEF (Version 87) with old Flash support". The software will then ask you to install the necessary files with the Web update utility if you have not already done so.

About MP4 support in CEF applications

If you choose the CEF engine for your ebook or publication in HTML Executable, only open-source audio and video codecs are available: WEBM, WEBA, OGG. MP4 video format (H264 codec) is not enabled in CEF builds, because this format requires licensing.

If you want MP4 support, you can choose the WebView2 engine or use an appropriate CEF version in HTML Executable (provided that you have a valid MPEG license).

Users who would like to have the dedicated CEF build with MP4 support can contact us, but please remember that you must hold a license obtained from the Via Licensing Alliance.