Industries in Depth

Google runs on 5000 times more code than the original space shuttle

A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this February 28, 2013 illustration file picture. One of the largest ever cyber attacks is slowing global internet services after an organisation blocking "spam" content became a target, with some experts saying the disruption could get worse. To match INTERNET-ATTACK/ REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Files (POLAND - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) - RTXXZVX

Image: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Dragan Radovanovic
Graphic Design Intern, Business Insider
Kif Leswing
Technology Reporter, Business Insider

You interact with millions of lines of Google code every day, whole lengths of them whirring into action every time you check your gmail or carry out a search.

Google is powered by billions of lines of code. But just how much goes into Google’s internet services might surprise you. The figure is 2 billion — that's 5,000 as many lines of code as the original space shuttle.

Google Chrome also has 135 times as much code as a simple iPhone photo-editing app.

Although nearly all the software we use today has thousands of times as much code as the original Unix operating system, developed by AT&T in 1970, Google still blows its competitors away in terms of sheer length.

Here’s how many lines of code are in your favourite apps and services.

How many lines of code make up popular technologies
Image: Business Insider
How Facebook's code compares to all of Google's internet services
Image: Business Insider

Have you read?

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

Sign up for free

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Stay up to date:

The Digital Economy

Share:
The Big Picture
Explore and monitor how The Digital Economy is affecting economies, industries and global issues
World Economic Forum logo

Forum Stories newsletter

Bringing you weekly curated insights and analysis on the global issues that matter.

Subscribe today

10 quantum startups win the World Economic Forum’s Quantum for Sustainability challenge

Katia Moskvitch

April 14, 2025

The Lighthouse Operating System: Driving Responsible Transformation

About us

Engage with us

  • Sign in
  • Partner with us
  • Become a member
  • Sign up for our press releases
  • Subscribe to our newsletters
  • Contact us

Quick links

Language editions

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Sitemap

© 2025 World Economic Forum