Definition:
A web browser, also called a browser, is a program that provides access to web pages and applications and allows users to interact with them. Users can open a URL, follow hyperlinks or use controls such as tabs, history and bookmarks.
The browser requests resources from servers using protocols such as HTTP and HTTPS. It interprets HTML documents, applies CSS styles and executes JavaScript when appropriate to display content and enable interaction. HTTP is a communication protocol, not a programming language.
It should not be confused with a search engine: the browser is the program used to access the web; a search engine, such as Google or Bing, is a service that helps people find content. The fact that the address bar allows searches does not make the browser and the search engine the same tool.
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Browser features
A browser allows users to move between pages, open multiple tabs, play multimedia content and download files. It also offers features such as history, bookmarks, searching within a page and permission controls for certain device capabilities.
Actions such as editing documents, sending emails or uploading files are usually performed through web applications opened in the browser. The program provides the environment for using them, but the specific features depend on the service and its compatibility.
Extensions can add tools, although their availability varies across browsers and devices. Synchronization options, where available, allow certain data to be shared between installations associated with an account, according to the chosen settings.
The browser also manages site data, such as cookies and local storage. Privacy settings provide control over some of this processing. Private browsing limits certain local session records, but does not guarantee anonymity or delete records that visited sites may keep.
Browsers are available on computers, phones, tablets and other compatible devices. Their features and the presentation of the same website may vary depending on the version, operating system and screen size.
Main browsers
The following are among the browsers available. The list describes their general characteristics, not a ranking of usage or quality:
- Google Chrome: Google’s browser, launched in 2008. It offers tabbed browsing, extensions and synchronization options. It is available on different platforms, although not all its features are identical on every device.
- Mozilla Firefox: a browser developed by Mozilla and distributed as free and open-source software. It includes extensions, developer tools and tracking protection controls. Open-source code alone does not guarantee privacy in every use.
- Microsoft Edge: Microsoft’s browser, available for different systems. Its current desktop versions use Chromium and offer extensions, synchronization and browsing tools. On compatible Windows environments, it can use Internet Explorer mode for certain legacy sites.
- Safari: Apple’s browser, integrated into macOS, iOS and iPadOS. It uses WebKit and offers features such as tabbed browsing, Reader mode and synchronization through iCloud, depending on the device and settings.
- Brave: a Chromium-based browser that includes controls to block certain advertisements and trackers. It offers desktop extensions and privacy options whose scope depends on the settings and device; it does not guarantee anonymity.
- Opera: a browser whose current desktop versions use Chromium. It includes tabs, extensions and integrated tools, such as a sidebar for accessing services. Its features vary between desktop and mobile versions.
Internet Explorer is a historical predecessor, not a current alternative equivalent to those above. Microsoft ended support for its IE11 desktop application on June 15, 2022, on certain versions of Windows 10. Microsoft’s explanation of this retirement distinguishes that application from Edge’s Internet Explorer mode and the support lifecycles of other systems and components.