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Web browser

The application program that serves as the primary method for accessing the World Wide Web, one of the major services on the Internet. In order to view a Web site, its address (URL), such as...

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Definition: Web browser

The application program that serves as the primary method for accessing the World Wide Web, one of the major services on the Internet. In order to view a Web site, its address (URL), such as www.computerlanguage.com, is typed into the search box at the top of the browser, and the site's home page is retrieved. The home page includes an index to other pages on the site as well as to pages on other sites, and those pages are retrieved by clicking "links" (see hypertext).

All browsers include bookmarks (Favorites) that store the addresses (URLs) of frequently used pages. Tabs are another useful feature that keep multiple Web pages open for quick access (see tabbed browsing).

IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera
The most popular Web browsers are Internet Explorer (IE), Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. All browsers are free, and except for IE, which is Windows-only, they run on both Windows and Mac. Some browsers also run under Linux.

All browsers offer similar features, no matter which computer they run on. The way users interact with a Web page has more to do with the page than the browser. Web pages contain embedded programs that turn them into applications not much different than the software users install in their own computers.

Web Browser History
The Mosaic browser put the Web on the map in 1993, but by the mid-1990s, Netscape Navigator had 80% of the market. Vying for top spot, Netscape and Internet Explorer (IE) constantly added features that fragmented Web sites into competing camps. In the early days, one often found sites with notices such as "Best Viewed in Netscape" or "Best Viewed in Internet Explorer." IE eventually trumped Netscape, but over the years lost market share to competing browsers. See World Wide Web, Mosaic, Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari, Google Chrome, hyperlink, HTML and microbrowser.


Web browser


Web browser

Not Much of a Difference
At first glance, Internet Explorer for Windows (top) and Firefox on the Mac (bottom) look identical. Although the placement of menus and icons differ, all browsers provide similar functions. When one browser adds a unique feature, the others follow in time. Users interact with the Web page and its embedded JavaScript code, which is the same no matter which browser or computer environment is used. See platform.





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