Given that "default" does not map to BBRv2, under what conditions would you
recommend developers choose it over hinting that their priority is
"throughput" or "low-latency"? Does the default option provide more
balanced performance?
Reilly Grant | Software Engineer | [email protected] | Google Chrome
<https://www.google.com/chrome>


On Thu, Oct 22, 2026 at 11:06 AM 'Monica Chintala' via blink-dev <
[email protected]> wrote:

> Thanks, Reilly. We’re choosing the ship now and refine the algorithm later
> path.
>
> With upstream networking owners, our assessment is that it is reasonable
> to ship with "low-latency" currently using BBRv2, while investigating
> Prague/L4S as a future mapping. The identical BBRv2 mapping is therefore an
> intentional initial implementation rather than an unfinished API contract.
> The values are semantic hints, and the specification does not require
> distinct algorithms for each value. BBRv2 offers both high throughput and
> lower queuing delay. If QUICHE’s Prague/L4S support proves suitable,
> Chromium can later improve the "low-latency" mapping without changing the
> web-facing API. This provides developers with the standardized API now
> while preserving implementation flexibility.
>
> On Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 11:04:57 AM UTC-7 Reilly Grant wrote:
>
>> I can see arguments both for shipping the options now and refining the
>> algorithms later, or for waiting until specific algorithms are specified
>> for each option. This intent should explain which path we are taking and
>> why.
>> Reilly Grant | Software Engineer | [email protected] | Google Chrome
>> <https://www.google.com/chrome>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 3:08 PM 'Monica Chintala' via blink-dev <
>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> Adam, could you confirm whether this is appropriate to ship as-is?
>>> During the implementation review, BBRv1 was determined not to be suitable,
>>> so "low-latency" was mapped to BBRv2 for now, the same algorithm used for
>>> "throughput" with a TODO to revisit it.
>>>
>>> Given that background, do we consider BBRv2 to satisfy both preferences,
>>> or should "low-latency" fall back to "default" until a more suitable option
>>> is available? Your context on that decision would help address the concern.
>>>
>>> On Monday, October 19, 2026 at 2:33:31 PM UTC-7 Reilly Grant wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm concerned that shipping this is premature because according to the
>>>> code
>>>> <https://source.chromium.org/chromium/chromium/src/+/main:net/quic/dedicated_web_transport_http3_client.cc;l=472;drc=4e393f181c91e3b221ece53fb83205e3602b6495>
>>>>  both
>>>> the "throughput" and "low-latency" options apply the same congestion
>>>> control algorithm, with a TODO to consider doing something else.
>>>> Reilly Grant | Software Engineer | [email protected] | Google Chrome
>>>> <https://www.google.com/chrome>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 12:10 PM 'Monica Chintala' via blink-dev <
>>>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thank you all. I’ve updated both browser positions to Neutral and
>>>>> added clarifying comments per the recommendation, but the changes don’t
>>>>> appear to be showing on the ChromeStatus entry yet.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Monday, October 19, 2026 at 11:35:04 AM UTC-7 Dan Clark wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> LGTM2
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Monday, October 19, 2026 at 11:29:17 AM UTC-7
>>>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Can we update the positions of other browsers to be more accurate
>>>>>>> (e.g., neutral) given that they have not actually shipped the whole 
>>>>>>> feature?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> With that nit, LGTM1.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 10:45:48 AM UTC-7 Monica Chintala
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks, the existing Mozilla and WebKit links are positions on Web
>>>>>>>> Transport overall, not specifically on the congestion-control option. 
>>>>>>>> Both
>>>>>>>> Firefox and Safari expose the API surface, but their behavioral support
>>>>>>>> differs. Firefox currently ignores the requested value and reports the
>>>>>>>> spec-permitted  "default"  fallback. Safari reflects the requested 
>>>>>>>> value,
>>>>>>>> but its open-source network-process implementation does not pass it 
>>>>>>>> into
>>>>>>>> the QUIC configuration. The shared WPT passes in all three engines, 
>>>>>>>> but it
>>>>>>>> intentionally permits fallback to "default" and therefore tests API
>>>>>>>> interoperability rather than the underlying congestion-control 
>>>>>>>> behavior.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 10:13:21 AM UTC-7 Mike Taylor
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 10/14/26 6:45 p.m., Chromestatus wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> *Contact emails*
>>>>>>>>> [email protected]
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Explainer*
>>>>>>>>> https://github.com/w3c/webtransport/blob/main/explainer.md
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Specification*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> https://www.w3.org/TR/webtransport/#dom-webtransportoptions-congestioncontrol
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Summary*
>>>>>>>>> Adds the congestionControl constructor option and read-only
>>>>>>>>> attribute to WebTransport. Applications can request "default",
>>>>>>>>> "throughput", or "low-latency" behavior, allowing the user agent to 
>>>>>>>>> select
>>>>>>>>> suitable congestion-control behavior for each session.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Blink component*
>>>>>>>>> Blink>Network>WebTransport
>>>>>>>>> <https://issues.chromium.org/issues?q=customfield1222907:%22Blink%3ENetwork%3EWebTransport%22>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Web Feature ID*
>>>>>>>>> webtransport <https://webstatus.dev/features/webtransport>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Motivation*
>>>>>>>>> WebTransport applications have different performance requirements.
>>>>>>>>> Interactive applications prioritize low latency, while bulk transfers
>>>>>>>>> prioritize throughput. This hint lets applications express that 
>>>>>>>>> preference
>>>>>>>>> without selecting or controlling a specific congestion-control 
>>>>>>>>> algorithm.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Initial public proposal*
>>>>>>>>> *No information provided*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *TAG review*
>>>>>>>>> Not applicable as a separate review. This is an incremental
>>>>>>>>> implementation of an API already defined in the W3C WebTransport
>>>>>>>>> specification and covered by the broader WebTransport TAG review:
>>>>>>>>> https://github.com/w3ctag/design-reviews/issues/1212
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *TAG review status*
>>>>>>>>> Not applicable
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Goals for experimentation*
>>>>>>>>> None
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Risks*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Interoperability and Compatibility*
>>>>>>>>> Low. The API is additive, standardized, and already implemented by
>>>>>>>>> Firefox and Safari. Implementations may choose different underlying
>>>>>>>>> algorithms while preserving the standardized hint and fallback 
>>>>>>>>> behavior
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Gecko*: Shipped/Shipping (
>>>>>>>>> https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/167)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *WebKit*: Shipped/Shipping (
>>>>>>>>> https://github.com/WebKit/standards-positions/issues/18)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Are they shipping congestion control, or just WebTransport?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Web developers*: Positive (
>>>>>>>>> https://github.com/web-platform-tests/interop/issues/1121) The
>>>>>>>>> Interop 2026 WebTransport proposal received 28 👍 reactions. Developers
>>>>>>>>> also reported active WebTransport use and significant cross-engine
>>>>>>>>> differences.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Other signals*:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Ergonomics*
>>>>>>>>> Low. The three values are straightforward, but developers must
>>>>>>>>> understand that the option is a hint and may resolve to "default" 
>>>>>>>>> when the
>>>>>>>>> requested behavior is unavailable.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Activation*
>>>>>>>>> Low. This is an additive constructor option and attribute. The
>>>>>>>>> value is a preference rather than a guarantee, and unsupported 
>>>>>>>>> preferences
>>>>>>>>> may fall back to "default".
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Security*
>>>>>>>>> Low. The API grants no new network access and does not expose
>>>>>>>>> congestion-window or network-state information. Applications provide 
>>>>>>>>> only a
>>>>>>>>> high-level preference; the browser retains control of the selected
>>>>>>>>> algorithm.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *WebView application risks*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Does this intent deprecate or change behavior of existing APIs,
>>>>>>>>> such that it has potentially high risk for Android WebView-based
>>>>>>>>> applications?
>>>>>>>>> Low. This is an additive WebTransport option and attribute
>>>>>>>>> implemented in shared Blink and network-service code. Existing WebView
>>>>>>>>> applications are unaffected, and applications using the option must 
>>>>>>>>> treat
>>>>>>>>> it as a preference that may fall back to "default".
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Debuggability*
>>>>>>>>> The requested value is readable through
>>>>>>>>>  transport.congestionControl . Existing DevTools networking, NetLog, 
>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>> QUIC logging can diagnose connection behavior
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Will this feature be supported on all six Blink platforms
>>>>>>>>> (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, and Android WebView)?*
>>>>>>>>> Yes
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Is this feature fully tested by web-platform-tests
>>>>>>>>> <https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/main/docs/testing/web_platform_tests.md>?*
>>>>>>>>> Yes
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> https://wpt.fyi/results/webtransport/congestion-control.https.any.html?label=experimental&label=master&aligned
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Flag name on about://flags*
>>>>>>>>> chrome://flags/#enable-experimental-web-platform-features
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Finch feature name*
>>>>>>>>> WebTransportCongestionControl
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Rollout plan*
>>>>>>>>> Will ship enabled for all users
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Requires code in //chrome?*
>>>>>>>>> False
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Tracking bug*
>>>>>>>>> https://issues.chromium.org/issues/501268547
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Measurement*
>>>>>>>>> Validate API exposure and connection behavior through WPT,
>>>>>>>>> Chromium tests, and developer feedback from latency-sensitive and
>>>>>>>>> high-throughput WebTransport applications.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Availability expectation*
>>>>>>>>> Already supported by Firefox and Safari as part of the W3C
>>>>>>>>> WebTransport specification. Chromium support is implemented behind an
>>>>>>>>> experimental runtime feature.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Adoption expectation*
>>>>>>>>> Expected to be adopted by games, interactive media,
>>>>>>>>> remote-interaction applications, and bulk-transfer services that need 
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> express latency or throughput preferences.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Adoption plan*
>>>>>>>>> Adoption is expected to happen organically through existing
>>>>>>>>> WebTransport applications and documentation.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Estimated milestones*
>>>>>>>>> Shipping on desktop 158
>>>>>>>>> DevTrial on desktop 150
>>>>>>>>> Shipping on Android 158
>>>>>>>>> DevTrial on Android 150
>>>>>>>>> Shipping on WebView 158
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Anticipated spec changes*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Open questions about a feature may be a source of future web
>>>>>>>>> compat or interop issues. Please list open issues (e.g. links to known
>>>>>>>>> github issues in the project for the feature specification) whose
>>>>>>>>> resolution may introduce web compat/interop risk (e.g., changing to 
>>>>>>>>> naming
>>>>>>>>> or structure of the API in a non-backward-compatible way).
>>>>>>>>> None. The option and attribute are already defined by the W3C
>>>>>>>>> WebTransport specification.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> *Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status*
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> https://chromestatus.com/feature/5180947573112832?gate=5529995941380096
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> This intent message was generated by Chrome Platform Status
>>>>>>>>> <https://chromestatus.com>.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> --
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>>>>>>>>> Groups "blink-dev" group.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
>>>>>>>>> send an email to [email protected].
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> To view this discussion visit
>>>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/6ad005f7.4ec1d848.c43ea.00a3.GAE%40google.com
>>>>>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/6ad005f7.4ec1d848.c43ea.00a3.GAE%40google.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
>>>>>>>>> .
>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>
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