Web browser: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Reverted edits by 2001:E60:8751:DA67:0:0:B4D3:A57C (talk) to last version by Bruce1ee
Citation bot (talk | contribs)
Bots
4,902,083 edits
Alter: publisher. Add: authors 1-1. Removed parameters. Some additions/deletions were parameter name changes. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by BorgQueen | Category:Articles lacking reliable references from November 2022 | #UCB_Category 64/959
(59 intermediate revisions by 24 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Software for surfing the Internet}}
{{Short description|Software used to navigate the internet}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
[[File:Safari 15.png|thumb|right|A web browser ([[Safari (web browser)|Safari]]) displaying a [[web page]]]]


A '''web browser''' is [[application software]] for accessing [[website]]s. When a [[User (computing)|user]] requests a [[web page]] from a particular website, the browser retrieves its [[Computer file|files]] from a [[web server]] and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on a range of devices, including [[desktop computer|desktops]], [[laptop]]s, [[tablet computer|tablets]], and [[smartphone]]s. In 2020, an estimated 4.9 billion people used a browser.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm|title=World Internet Users Statistics and 2019 World Population Stats|website=www.internetworldstats.com|access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref> The [[Usage share of web browsers|most used]] browser is [[Google Chrome]], with a 65% global market share on all devices, followed by [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] with 18%.<ref name="statcounter">{{cite web |title=Current browser market share |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share |access-date=10 October 2022 |publisher=[[StatCounter]]}}</ref>
[[File:Chromium (web browser).png|thumb
|right|220x220px|A web browser displaying a [[web page]]]]


A web browser is not the same thing as a [[search engine]], though the two are often confused.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/o4MwTvtyrUQ| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=What is a Browser? |date=30 April 2009 |publisher=Google (on YouTube) |quote=Less than 8% of people who were interviewed on this day knew what a browser was.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/en/internet-culture/mozilla-explains/internet-search-engine-browser/ |title=What is the difference between the internet, browsers, search engines and websites? |date=17 June 2021|publisher=Mozilla |quote=Let’s start by breaking down the differences between the internet, browsers, search engine, and websites. Lots of us get these four things confused with each other.}}</ref> A search engine is a website that provides [[hyperlink|links]] to other websites. However, to connect to a website's server and display its web pages, a user must have a web browser installed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manasa |first=D. |date=19 July 2011 |title=Difference Between Search Engine and Browser |url=http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/internet/difference-between-search-engine-and-browser/ |website=differencebetween.net}}</ref> In some technical contexts, browsers are referred to as [[user agent]]s.
A '''web browser''' (commonly just called a '''browser''') is [[application software]] for accessing [[website]]s. When a [[User (computing)|user]] requests a [[web page]] from a particular website, the browser retrieves its [[Computer file|files]] from a [[web server]] and then displays the page on the user's screen.

A web browser is not the same thing as a [[search engine]], though the two are often confused.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/o4MwTvtyrUQ| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=What is a Browser? |date=30 April 2009 |publisher=Google (on YouTube) |quote=Less than 8% of people who were interviewed on this day knew what a browser was.}}{{cbignore}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.mozilla.org/en/internet-culture/mozilla-explains/internet-search-engine-browser/ |title=What is the difference between the internet, browsers, search engines and websites? |date=17 June 2021|publisher=Mozilla |quote=Let’s start by breaking down the differences between the internet, browsers, search engine, and websites. Lots of us get these four things confused with each other.}}</ref> A search engine is a website that provides [[hyperlink|links]] to other websites. However, to connect to a website's server and display its web pages, a user must have a web browser installed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.differencebetween.net/technology/internet/difference-between-search-engine-and-browser/ |title=Difference Between Search Engine and Browser}}</ref>

Browsers are used on a range of devices, including [[desktop computer|desktops]], [[laptop]]s, [[tablet computer|tablets]], and [[smartphone]]s. In 2020, an estimated 4.9 billion people used a browser.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm|title=World Internet Users Statistics and 2019 World Population Stats|website=www.internetworldstats.com|access-date=11 November 2019}}</ref> The [[Usage share of web browsers|most used]] browser is [[Google Chrome]], with a 65% global market share on all devices, followed by [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] with 18%.<ref name="statcounter">{{cite web |title=Current browser market share |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share |access-date=10 October 2022 |publisher=[[StatCounter]]}}</ref>

In some technical contexts, browsers are referred to as [[user agent]]s. Also, browsers are sometimes called "Internet browsers", but this is technically incorrect; websites are only a portion of the [[Internet]].


==Function==
==Function==
[[File:Web browser demo.webm|thumb|Navigating to [[English Wikipedia]] using a web browser ([[Firefox]])]]
The purpose of a web browser is to fetch content from [[World Wide Web|the Web]] or from a local storage device and display it on a [[User (computing)|user]]'s device.
The purpose of a web browser is to fetch content from the [[World Wide Web]] or from local storage and display it on a user's device.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reference.com/humanities-culture/purpose-browser-e61874e41999ede|title=What Is the Purpose of a Web Browser?|date=4 August 2015}}</ref> This process begins when the user inputs a [[Uniform Resource Locator]] (URL), such as ''<code><nowiki>https://en.wikipedia.org/</nowiki></code>'', into the browser. Virtually all URLs are retrieved using the [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol]] (HTTP), a set of rules for the transfer of data. If the URL uses the [[HTTPS|secure mode]] of HTTP (HTTPS), the connection between the browser and the [[web server]] is [[encryption|encrypted]] for the purposes of [[communications security]] and [[information privacy]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/HTTP-Hypertext-Transfer-Protocol|title=What is HTTP and how does it work? Hypertext Transfer Protocol Definition|website=WhatIs.com}}</ref>


Web pages usually contain [[hyperlink]]s to other pages and resources. Each link contains a URL, and when it is [[point and click|clicked]] or [[touchscreen|tapped]], the browser navigates to the new resource. Most browsers use an internal [[web cache|cache]] of web page resources to improve loading times for subsequent visits to the same page. The cache can store many items, such as large images, so they do not need to be downloaded from the server again.<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of browser cache |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/browser-cache | publisher=[[PC Magazine]] }}</ref> Cached items are usually only stored for as long as the web server stipulates in its HTTP response messages.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fountis |first1=Yorgos |title=How does the browser cache work? |date=4 May 2017 |url=https://pressidium.com/blog/2017/browser-cache-work/ |access-date=19 February 2020}}</ref>
This process begins when the user inputs a [[URL|Uniform Resource Locator]] (URL), such as ''<code><nowiki>https://en.wikipedia.org/</nowiki></code>'', into the browser. Virtually all URLs on the Web start with either ''<code>http:</code>'' or ''<code>https:</code>'' which means the browser will retrieve them with the [[Hypertext Transfer Protocol]] (HTTP). In the case of [[HTTPS|secure mode]] (HTTPS), the communication between the browser and the [[web server]] is [[encryption|encrypted]] for the purposes of [[Communications security|security]] and [[Information privacy|privacy]].


===Privacy===
Once a [[web page]] has been retrieved, the browser's [[browser engine|rendering engine]] displays it on the user's device. This includes [[image]] and [[video]] formats supported by the browser. Many web browsers can display partial content, while the retrieval is still in progress, providing more responsive behavior, especially on slower network connections.
During the course of browsing, [[HTTP cookie|cookies]] received from various [[website]]s are stored by the browser. Some of them contain login credentials or site preferences.<ref name="tom's guide">{{cite web |title=Tracking Cookies: What They Are, and How They Threaten Your Privacy |date=16 September 2013 |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/-tracking-cookie-definition,news-17506.html |publisher=Tom's Guide |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref> However, others are used for [[HTTP cookie#Privacy and third-party cookies|tracking user behavior]] over long periods of time, so browsers typically provide a section in the menu for deleting cookies.<ref name="tom's guide"/> Finer-grained management of cookies usually requires a [[browser extension]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Alternatives to Cookie AutoDelete extension |url=https://alternativeto.net/software/cookie-autodelete/ |publisher=AlternativeTo |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>


==History==
Web pages usually contain [[hyperlink]]s to other pages and resources. Each link contains a URL, and when it is [[point and click|clicked]] or [[touchscreen|tapped]], the browser navigates to the new resource. Thus, the process of bringing content to the user begins again.
{{Main|History of the web browser}}{{See also|Timeline of web browsers}}
{{multiple image
|total_width=300px
|image1=NPellow.jpg
|image2=Marc Andreessen.jpg
| footer = Left to right: [[Nicola Pellow]] and [[Tim Berners-Lee]] in 1992; [[Marc Andreessen]] in 2007
}}
The first web browser, called [[WorldWideWeb]], was created in 1990 by Sir [[Tim Berners-Lee]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/WorldWideWeb.html |title=Tim Berners-Lee: WorldWideWeb, the first Web client |publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm |title=Web Browser History |last=Stewart| first=William |archive-date=20 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120213137/http://www.livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> He then recruited [[Nicola Pellow]] to write the [[Line Mode Browser]], which displayed web pages on [[dumb terminals]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last1=Gillies |first1=James |last2=Cailliau |first2=R. |url=https://archive.org/details/howwebwasbornsto00gill|title=How the Web was Born: The Story of the World Wide Web |publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2000|isbn=0192862073 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/howwebwasbornsto00gill/page/6 6]|url-access=registration}}</ref> The [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]] web browser was released in April 1993, and was later credited as the first web browser to find mainstream popularity.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Calore |first=Micheal |date=2010-04-22 |title=April 22, 1993: Mosaic Browser Lights Up Web With Color, Creativity |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/04/0422mosaic-web-browser/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news |date=17 March 2011 |title=Bloomberg Game Changers: Marc Andreessen |publisher=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/video/67758394 |access-date=7 December 2011}}</ref> Its innovative [[graphical user interface]] made the [[World Wide Web]] easy to navigate and thus more accessible to the average person. This, in turn, sparked the Internet boom of the 1990s, when the Web grew at a very rapid rate.<ref name="bloomberg" /> [[Marc Andreessen]], the leader of the Mosaic team, started his own company, [[Netscape]], which released the Mosaic-influenced [[Netscape Navigator]] in 1994. Navigator quickly became the [[Usage share of web browsers#Older reports (pre-2000)|most popular]] browser.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mwdwebsites.com/nj-web-design-web-browsers.html|title=The Evolution of the Web Browsers|last=Enzer|first=Larry|date=31 August 2018|website=Monmouth Web Developers|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-date=31 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831174847/https://www.mwdwebsites.com/nj-web-design-web-browsers.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


[[Microsoft]] debuted [[Internet Explorer]] in 1995, leading to a [[browser war]] with Netscape. Within a few years, Microsoft gained a dominant position in the browser market for two reasons: it bundled Internet Explorer with [[Microsoft Windows]], their popular [[operating system]] and did so as [[freeware]] with no restrictions on usage. The market share of Internet Explorer peaked at over 95% in the early 2000s.<ref name="searchenginejournal.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/mozilla-firefox-internet-browser-market-share-gains-to-74/1082/ |title=Mozilla Firefox Internet Browser Market Share Gains to 7.4% | first=Loren | last=Baker | work=Search Engine Journal |date=24 November 2004}}</ref> In 1998, Netscape launched what would become the [[Mozilla Foundation]] to create a new browser using the [[open-source software]] model. This work evolved into the [[Firefox]] browser, first released by Mozilla in 2004. Firefox's market share peaked at 32% in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Routley|first=Nick|date=20 January 2020|title=Internet Browser Market Share (1996–2019)|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/internet-browser-market-share/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=Visual Capitalist|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] released its [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] browser in 2003. Safari remains the dominant browser on Apple devices, though it did not become popular elsewhere.<ref name="browsershare">{{cite web|title=StatCounter August 2011 data|url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-ww-monthly-201108-201108-bar|access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref>
Most browsers use an internal [[web cache|cache]] of web page resources to improve loading times for subsequent visits to the same page. The cache can store many items, such as large images, so they do not need to be downloaded from the server again.<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of browser cache |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/browser-cache | publisher=[[PC Magazine]] }}</ref> Cached items are usually only stored for as long as the web server stipulates in its HTTP response messages.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fountis |first1=Yorgos |title=How does the browser cache work? |date=4 May 2017 |url=https://pressidium.com/blog/2017/browser-cache-work/ |access-date=19 February 2020}}</ref>


[[Google]] debuted its [[Google Chrome|Chrome]] browser in 2008, which steadily took market share from Internet Explorer and became the most popular browser in 2012.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://digitaltrends-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/09/net-applications-browser-market.jpg |title=Internet Explorer usage to plummet below 50 percent by mid-2012 | work=[[Digital Trends]] | date=3 September 2011 | format=[[JPEG]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-ww-monthly-201204-201205|title=StatCounter April-May 2012 data |access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref> Chrome has [[usage share of web browsers|remained dominant]] ever since.<ref name="statcounter" /> By 2015, Microsoft replaced Internet Explorer with [[Microsoft Edge|Edge]] for the [[Windows 10]] release.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=19 May 2021|title=The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/05/19/the-future-of-internet-explorer-on-windows-10-is-in-microsoft-edge/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=Windows Experience Blog|language=en-US}}</ref> Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their [[HTML]], [[CSS]], [[JavaScript]], and [[multimedia]] capabilities. One reason has been to enable more sophisticated websites, such as [[Web application|web apps]]. Another factor is the significant increase of [[broadband]] connectivity, which enables people to access data-intensive content, such as video [[Streaming media|streaming]], that was not possible during the era of [[Dial-up Internet access|dial-up modems]].{{cn|date=October 2022}}
==Settings==
Web browsers can typically be configured with a built-in [[Menu (computing)|menu]]. Depending on the browser, the menu may be named ''Settings'', ''Options'', or ''Preferences''.


== Browsers ==
The menu has different types of settings. For example, users can change their [[home page|homepage]] and default [[search engine]]. They can also change default [[web page]] colors and [[font]]s. Various network connectivity and [[Internet privacy|privacy settings]] are also usually available.
{{bar box
|title=October 2022 [[desktop computer|desktop]] browser share<ref name="stats2">{{cite web|title=Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide |publisher=[[statcounter]]|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide}}</ref>
|titlebar=#DDD
|width=430px
|barwidth=150px
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Google Chrome]]|#A3D3FF|67.34|67.34%}}
{{bar percent|[[Microsoft Edge]]|#A3D3FF|10.81|10.81%}}<!--both versions combined-->
{{bar percent|[[Safari (web browser)|Safari]]|#A3D3FF|8.93|8.93%}}
{{bar percent|[[Mozilla Firefox]]|#A3D3FF|7.28|7.28%}}
{{bar percent|[[Opera (web browser)|Opera]]|#A3D3FF|2.9|2.9%}}
{{bar percent|[[Internet Explorer]]|#A3D3FF|0.84|0.84%}}
{{bar gap|height=11}}}}
{{See also|Usage share of web browsers}}
The current most used browser worldwide is [[Google Chrome]], with a 65% global market share on all devices.<ref name="statcounter"/> Google Chrome is built on Google's [[free and open-source software]] project [[Chromium (web browser)|Chromium]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Chrome and ChromeOS Additional Terms of Service |url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/terms/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=www.google.com}}</ref> and is a major component of Google's operating system [[ChromeOS]]. [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] has the second highest global market share, at 18%,<ref name="statcounter" /> while [[Microsoft Edge]] has the second highest desktop share.{{r|stats2}} Safari is based on [[WebKit]] and is the default web browser for [[Mac (computer)|Mac computers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ariano |first=Ryan |title=How to change your default browser on a Mac computer |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/change-default-browser-mac |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Introduced in 2015, Microsoft Edge is the default web browser on [[Windows 10]] and [[Windows 11|11]] computers.<ref name=":1" /> [[Mozilla Foundation]]'s [[Firefox]] is the fourth most popular desktop browser,{{r|stats2}} and unlike some more popular browsers, is [[Free and open-source software|free and open-source]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wallen |first=Jack |date=2022-05-10 |title=Firefox hits the big 100: Why you should use this open-source browser now |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/firefox-hits-big-100-time-you-start-using-open-source-browser/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=TechRepublic |language=en-US}}</ref>


Some alternative browsers have gained prevalence, due to their increased customization and privacy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=7 Alternative Web Browsers |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/dump-chrome-7-alternative-web-browsers |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> Some such browsers also have built-in [[Ad blocking|adblockers]].<ref name=":0" /> Examples include [[Brave (web browser)|Brave]], [[Epic (web browser)|Epic]], [[Maxthon]], and [[Opera (web browser)|Opera]].<ref name=":0" /> The [[Tor Browser]] gives access to the [[Tor (network)|Tor]] anonymity network.<ref name=":0" /> Tor allows access to the [[dark web]], repeatedly encrypting traffic for privacy.<ref name=":0" /> The alternative browsers have low market share compared to the large browsers; for example, Opera is the highest alternative browser by a wide margin, at a 2.49% market share in October 2022.<ref name="statcounter" />
===Privacy===
During the course of browsing, [[HTTP cookie|cookies]] received from various [[website]]s are stored by the browser. Some of them contain login credentials or site preferences.<ref name="tom's guide">{{cite web |title=Tracking Cookies: What They Are, and How They Threaten Your Privacy |date=16 September 2013 |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/-tracking-cookie-definition,news-17506.html |publisher=Tom's Guide |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref> However, others are used for [[HTTP cookie#Privacy and third-party cookies|tracking user behavior]] over long periods of time, so browsers typically provide a section in the menu for deleting cookies.<ref name="tom's guide"/> Finer-grained management of cookies usually requires a [[browser extension]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Alternatives to Cookie AutoDelete extension |url=https://alternativeto.net/software/cookie-autodelete/ |publisher=AlternativeTo |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>

Browsers also usually provide menu items for deleting [[web browsing history|browsing history]], [[web cache|cache]] entries, and other potentially sensitive data.

* An alternative approach is the [[private browsing]] mode, in which the aforementioned items are not stored by the browser. But this is a temporary option, only activated when using this special mode.


==Features==
==Features==
The most popular browsers have a number of [[software feature|features]] in common. They automatically log [[Web browsing history|browsing history]] or can be used in a non-logging [[Private browsing|private mode]]. They also allow users to set [[Bookmark (digital)|bookmarks]], customize the browser with [[Browser extension|extensions]], and can manage user [[password]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Balaban|first=David|date=17 February 2021|title=Password Manager Comparison: Top Password Managers for 2021|url=https://www.eweek.com/search-engines/comparing-in-browser-based-commercial-password-managers/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=eWEEK|language=en-US}}</ref> Some provide a [[Browser synchronization|sync service]] and [[web accessibility]] features.
The most popular browsers share many [[software feature|features]] in common. They automatically log users' [[Web browsing history|browsing history]], unless the users turn off their browsing history or use the non-logging [[Private browsing|private mode]]. They also allow users to set [[Bookmark (digital)|bookmarks]], customize the browser with [[Browser extension|extensions]], and can manage user [[password]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Balaban |first=David|date=17 February 2021|title=Password Manager Comparison: Top Password Managers for 2021|url=https://www.eweek.com/search-engines/comparing-in-browser-based-commercial-password-managers/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=eWEEK|language=en-US}}</ref> Some provide a [[Browser synchronization|sync service]] and [[web accessibility]] features.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sync your Firefox on any device |website=mozilla.org |publisher=Mozilla |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/185277?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sign in and sync in Chrome |website=Google Support |publisher=Google Inc. |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/185277?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sync |url=https://brave.com/tag/sync/ |website=brave.com |publisher=Brave}}</ref>


[[File:Wikipedia Homepage Chromium Web browser 36.png|thumb|right|220x220px|Traditional browser arrangement: UI features above page content]]
[[File:Wikipedia Homepage Chromium Web browser 36.png|thumb|right|upright=1.15|Traditional browser arrangement has [[user interface]] features above page content.]]


Most browsers have these [[user interface]] (UI) features:
Most browsers have common [[user interface]] features such as:{{cn|date=November 2022}}
* Allow the user to open multiple [[web page|pages]] at the same time, either in different browser windows or in different [[Tabbed document interface|tabs]] of the same window.
* Allowing the user to having multiple [[web page|pages]] open at the same time, either in different browser windows or in different [[Tabbed document interface|tabs]] of the same window.
* ''Back'' and ''forward'' buttons to go back to the previous page visited or forward to the next one.
* ''Back'' and ''forward'' buttons to go back to the previous page visited or forward to the next one.
* A ''refresh'' or ''reload'' and a ''stop'' button to reload and cancel loading the current page. (In most browsers, the stop button is merged with the reload button.)
* A ''refresh'' or ''reload'' and a ''stop'' button to reload and cancel loading the current page. (In most browsers, the stop button is merged with the reload button.)
Line 48: Line 63:
* An [[address bar]] to input the [[URL]] of a page and display it, and a search bar to input terms into a [[search engine]]. (In most browsers, the search bar is merged with the address bar.)
* An [[address bar]] to input the [[URL]] of a page and display it, and a search bar to input terms into a [[search engine]]. (In most browsers, the search bar is merged with the address bar.)


While [[mobile browser]]s have similar UI features as [[desktop computer|desktop]] versions, the limitations of [[touchscreen|touch screen]]s require mobile UIs to be simpler.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Simon |title=The Limitations Of Touch Interfaces |url=https://thisisglance.com/the-limitations-of-touch-interfaces/ |website=Glance |date=29 March 2019 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> The difference is significant for users accustomed to [[keyboard shortcut]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chrome keyboard shortcuts |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/157179 |publisher=Google Inc. |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> The most popular desktop browsers also have sophisticated [[web development tools]].
While [[mobile browser]]s have similar UI features as [[desktop computer|desktop]] versions, the limitations of [[touchscreen|touch screen]]s require mobile UIs to be simpler.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Simon |title=The Limitations Of Touch Interfaces |url=https://thisisglance.com/the-limitations-of-touch-interfaces/ |website=Glance |date=29 March 2019 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> The difference is significant for users accustomed to [[keyboard shortcut]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chrome keyboard shortcuts |url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/157179 |publisher=Google Inc. |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> The most popular desktop browsers also have sophisticated [[web development tools]], which allows developers to inspect the webpage operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://devworks.thinkdigit.com/Software/Browsers-are-the-new-IDE-for-Web_9995.html|title=Browsers are the new IDE for Web Development|website=devworks.thinkdigit.com|date=29 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702141638/http://devworks.thinkdigit.com/Software/Browsers-are-the-new-IDE-for-Web_9995.html|archive-date=2 July 2012}}</ref>

Besides the common usage of graphical browsers, there are niche [[text-based web browser|text-based]] and [[headless web browser|headless]] types of browsers.


== Security ==
== Security ==
{{Main|Browser security}}
{{Main|Browser security}}
Web browsers are popular targets for [[hacker]]s, who exploit [[Vulnerability (computing)|security holes]] to steal information, destroy [[computer file|files]], and other [[Malware|malicious]] activities. Browser vendors regularly patch these security holes, so users are strongly encouraged to keep their browser software updated. Other protection measures are [[antivirus software]] and avoiding known-malicious [[website]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.us-cert.gov/publications/securing-your-web-browser|title=Securing Your Web Browser|website=www.us-cert.gov|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>
Web browsers are popular targets for [[hacker]]s, who exploit [[Vulnerability (computing)|security holes]] to steal information, destroy [[computer file|files]], and other [[Malware|malicious]] activities. Browser vendors regularly patch these security holes, so users are strongly encouraged to keep their browser software updated. Other protection measures are [[antivirus software]] and avoiding known-malicious [[website]]s.


Breaches of web browser security are usually for the purpose of bypassing protections to display [[pop-up advertising]]<ref name="mozilla-adblock-plus">{{cite web |last=Palant |first=Wladimir |author-link=Wladimir Palant |title=Adblock Plus :: Add-ons for Firefox |url=https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/adblock-plus |work=[[Mozilla Add-ons]] |publisher=[[Mozilla Foundation]]}}</ref> collecting [[personally identifiable information]] (PII) for either [[Internet marketing]] or [[identity theft]], [[website tracking]] or [[web analytics]] about a user against their will using tools such as [[Web bug|web bugs]], [[Clickjacking]], [[Likejacking]] (where [[Facebook]]'s [[like button]] is targeted),<ref>{{cite news |date=23 September 2010 |title=Facebook privacy probed over 'like,' invitations |work=CBC News |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/09/23/facebook-like-invitations.html |url-status=live |access-date=24 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626205135/http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/09/23/facebook-like-invitations.html |archive-date=26 June 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Albanesius |first=Chloe |date=19 August 2011 |title=German Agencies Banned From Using Facebook, 'Like' Button |work=[[PC Magazine]] |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391440,00.asp |url-status=live |access-date=24 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329043111/http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391440,00.asp |archive-date=29 March 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="cnet-privacy-scrutiny">{{cite news |last=McCullagh |first=Declan |author-link=Declan McCullagh |date=2 June 2010 |title=Facebook 'Like' button draws privacy scrutiny |publisher=[[CNET News]] |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20006532-38.html |url-status=live |access-date=19 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205014333/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20006532-38.html |archive-date=5 December 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite ssrn |title=Facebook Tracks and Traces Everyone: Like This! |last=Roosendaal |first=Arnold |date=30 November 2010 |ssrn=1717563}}</ref> [[HTTP cookie|HTTP cookies]], [[Zombie cookie|zombie cookies]] or [[Local shared object|Flash cookies]] (Local Shared Objects or LSOs);<ref name="mozilla-betterprivacy2">{{cite web |title=BetterPrivacy :: Add-ons for Firefox |url=https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/betterprivacy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001054313/https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy/ |archive-date=1 October 2014 |website=[[Mozilla Foundation]]}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=November 2022}} installing [[adware]], [[Computer virus|viruses]], [[spyware]] such as [[Trojan horse (computing)|Trojan horses]] (to gain access to users' [[Personal computer|personal computers]] via [[Cracker (computer security)|cracking]]) or other [[malware]] including [[online banking]] theft using [[man-in-the-browser]] attacks.
==History==
{{Main|History of the web browser}}

[[File:NPellow.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Nicola Pellow]] and [[Tim Berners-Lee]] in 1992]]

The first web browser, called [[WorldWideWeb]], was created in 1990 by Sir [[Tim Berners-Lee]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/WorldWideWeb.html |title=Tim Berners-Lee: WorldWideWeb, the first Web client |publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm |title=Web Browser History |last=Stewart| first=William |archive-date=20 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120213137/http://www.livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> He then recruited [[Nicola Pellow]] to write the [[Line Mode Browser]], which displayed web pages on [[dumb terminals]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Gillies, James; Cailliau, R.|url=https://archive.org/details/howwebwasbornsto00gill/page/6|title=How the Web was Born: The Story of the World Wide Web|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2000|isbn=0192862073|pages=[https://archive.org/details/howwebwasbornsto00gill/page/6 6]|url-access=registration}}</ref>

[[File:Marc Andreessen.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Marc Andreessen]], lead developer of [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]] and [[Netscape Navigator|Navigator]], in 2007]]

1993 was a landmark year with the release of [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]], credited as "the world's first popular browser".<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/video/67758394 |title=Bloomberg Game Changers: Marc Andreessen |publisher=Bloomberg |date=17 March 2011 |access-date=7 December 2011}}</ref> Its innovative [[graphical user interface]] made the World Wide Web system easy to use and thus more accessible to the average person. This, in turn, sparked the Internet boom of the 1990s, when the Web grew at a very rapid rate.<ref name="bloomberg" /> [[Marc Andreessen]], the leader of the Mosaic team, soon started his own company, [[Netscape]], which released the Mosaic-influenced [[Netscape Navigator]] in 1994. Navigator quickly became the [[Usage share of web browsers#Older reports (pre-2000)|most popular]] browser.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mwdwebsites.com/nj-web-design-web-browsers.html|title=The Evolution of the Web Browsers|last=Enzer|first=Larry|date=31 August 2018|website=Monmouth Web Developers|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-date=31 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831174847/https://www.mwdwebsites.com/nj-web-design-web-browsers.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Microsoft]] debuted [[Internet Explorer]] in 1995, leading to a [[browser war]] with Netscape. Within a few years, Microsoft gained a dominant position in the browser market for two reasons: it bundled Internet Explorer with its popular [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] [[operating system]] and did so as [[freeware]] with no restrictions on usage. The market share of Internet Explorer peaked at over 95% in the early 2000s.<ref name="searchenginejournal.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/mozilla-firefox-internet-browser-market-share-gains-to-74/1082/ |title=Mozilla Firefox Internet Browser Market Share Gains to 7.4% | first=Loren | last=Baker | work=Search Engine Journal |date=24 November 2004}}</ref>

In 1998, Netscape launched what would become the [[Mozilla Foundation]] to create a new browser using the [[Open-source software|open source]] software model. This work evolved into the [[Firefox]] browser, first released by Mozilla in 2004. Firefox market share peaked at 32% in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Routley|first=Nick|date=20 January 2020|title=Internet Browser Market Share (1996–2019)|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/internet-browser-market-share/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=Visual Capitalist|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Apple Computer]] released its [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] browser in 2003. Safari remains the dominant browser on Apple devices, though it did not become popular elsewhere.<ref name="browsershare">{{cite web|title=StatCounter August 2011 data|url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-ww-monthly-201108-201108-bar|access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref>

[[Google]] debuted its [[Google Chrome|Chrome]] browser in 2008, which steadily took market share from Internet Explorer and became the most popular browser in 2012.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://digitaltrends-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/09/net-applications-browser-market.jpg |title=Internet Explorer usage to plummet below 50 percent by mid-2012 | work=[[Digital Trends]] | date=3 September 2011 | format=[[JPEG]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-ww-monthly-201204-201205|title=StatCounter April-May 2012 data |access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref> Chrome has [[usage share of web browsers|remained dominant]] ever since.

Microsoft released its [[Microsoft Edge|Edge]] browser in 2015 as part of the [[Windows 10]] release. (Internet Explorer is still used on older versions of Windows.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Blog|first=Windows Experience|date=19 May 2021|title=The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge|url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/05/19/the-future-of-internet-explorer-on-windows-10-is-in-microsoft-edge/|access-date=4 November 2021|website=Windows Experience Blog|language=en-US}}</ref>)

Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their [[HTML]], [[CSS]], [[JavaScript]], and [[multimedia]] capabilities. One reason has been to enable more sophisticated websites, such as [[Web application|web apps]]. Another factor is the significant increase of [[broadband]] connectivity, which enables people to access data-intensive content, such as [[YouTube]] [[Streaming media|streaming]], that was not possible during the era of [[Dial-up Internet access|dial-up modems]].

==Market share==

{{Main|Usage share of web browsers}}

{{bar box
|title=October 2022 [[desktop computer|desktop]] browser share<ref>{{cite web|title=Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide |publisher=[[statcounter]]|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide}}</ref>
|titlebar=#DDD
|width=430px
|barwidth=150px
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Google Chrome]]|#A3D3FF|67.34|67.34%}}
{{bar percent|[[Microsoft Edge]]|#A3D3FF|10.81|10.81%}}<!--both versions combined-->
{{bar percent|[[Safari (web browser)]]|#A3D3FF|8.93|8.93%}}
{{bar percent|[[Mozilla Firefox]]|#A3D3FF|7.28|7.28%}}
{{bar percent|[[Opera (web browser)|Opera]]|#A3D3FF|2.9|2.9%}}
{{bar percent|[[Internet Explorer]]|#A3D3FF|0.84|0.84%}}
{{bar gap|height=11}}
}}


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 05:21, 6 December 2022

A web browser (Safari) displaying a web page

A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. In 2020, an estimated 4.9 billion people used a browser.[1] The most used browser is Google Chrome, with a 65% global market share on all devices, followed by Safari with 18%.[2]

A web browser is not the same thing as a search engine, though the two are often confused.[3][4] A search engine is a website that provides links to other websites. However, to connect to a website's server and display its web pages, a user must have a web browser installed.[5] In some technical contexts, browsers are referred to as user agents.

Function

Navigating to English Wikipedia using a web browser (Firefox)

The purpose of a web browser is to fetch content from the World Wide Web or from local storage and display it on a user's device.[6] This process begins when the user inputs a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), such as https://en.wikipedia.org/, into the browser. Virtually all URLs are retrieved using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a set of rules for the transfer of data. If the URL uses the secure mode of HTTP (HTTPS), the connection between the browser and the web server is encrypted for the purposes of communications security and information privacy.[7]

Web pages usually contain hyperlinks to other pages and resources. Each link contains a URL, and when it is clicked or tapped, the browser navigates to the new resource. Most browsers use an internal cache of web page resources to improve loading times for subsequent visits to the same page. The cache can store many items, such as large images, so they do not need to be downloaded from the server again.[8] Cached items are usually only stored for as long as the web server stipulates in its HTTP response messages.[9]

Privacy

During the course of browsing, cookies received from various websites are stored by the browser. Some of them contain login credentials or site preferences.[10] However, others are used for tracking user behavior over long periods of time, so browsers typically provide a section in the menu for deleting cookies.[10] Finer-grained management of cookies usually requires a browser extension.[11]

History

Main article: History of the web browser
See also: Timeline of web browsers
File:NPellow.jpg
Left to right: Nicola Pellow and Tim Berners-Lee in 1992; Marc Andreessen in 2007

The first web browser, called WorldWideWeb, was created in 1990 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee.[12][13] He then recruited Nicola Pellow to write the Line Mode Browser, which displayed web pages on dumb terminals.[14] The Mosaic web browser was released in April 1993, and was later credited as the first web browser to find mainstream popularity.[15][16] Its innovative graphical user interface made the World Wide Web easy to navigate and thus more accessible to the average person. This, in turn, sparked the Internet boom of the 1990s, when the Web grew at a very rapid rate.[16] Marc Andreessen, the leader of the Mosaic team, started his own company, Netscape, which released the Mosaic-influenced Netscape Navigator in 1994. Navigator quickly became the most popular browser.[17]

Microsoft debuted Internet Explorer in 1995, leading to a browser war with Netscape. Within a few years, Microsoft gained a dominant position in the browser market for two reasons: it bundled Internet Explorer with Microsoft Windows, their popular operating system and did so as freeware with no restrictions on usage. The market share of Internet Explorer peaked at over 95% in the early 2000s.[18] In 1998, Netscape launched what would become the Mozilla Foundation to create a new browser using the open-source software model. This work evolved into the Firefox browser, first released by Mozilla in 2004. Firefox's market share peaked at 32% in 2010.[19] Apple released its Safari browser in 2003. Safari remains the dominant browser on Apple devices, though it did not become popular elsewhere.[20]

Google debuted its Chrome browser in 2008, which steadily took market share from Internet Explorer and became the most popular browser in 2012.[21][22] Chrome has remained dominant ever since.[2] By 2015, Microsoft replaced Internet Explorer with Edge for the Windows 10 release.[23] Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia capabilities. One reason has been to enable more sophisticated websites, such as web apps. Another factor is the significant increase of broadband connectivity, which enables people to access data-intensive content, such as video streaming, that was not possible during the era of dial-up modems.[citation needed]

Browsers

October 2022 desktop browser share[24]
Google Chrome
 
 67.34%
Microsoft Edge
 
 10.81%
Safari
 
 8.93%
Mozilla Firefox
 
 7.28%
Opera
 
 2.9%
Internet Explorer
 
 0.84%
See also: Usage share of web browsers

The current most used browser worldwide is Google Chrome, with a 65% global market share on all devices.[2] Google Chrome is built on Google's free and open-source software project Chromium,[25] and is a major component of Google's operating system ChromeOS. Apple's Safari has the second highest global market share, at 18%,[2] while Microsoft Edge has the second highest desktop share.[24] Safari is based on WebKit and is the default web browser for Mac computers.[26] Introduced in 2015, Microsoft Edge is the default web browser on Windows 10 and 11 computers.[23] Mozilla Foundation's Firefox is the fourth most popular desktop browser,[24] and unlike some more popular browsers, is free and open-source.[27]

Some alternative browsers have gained prevalence, due to their increased customization and privacy.[28] Some such browsers also have built-in adblockers.[28] Examples include Brave, Epic, Maxthon, and Opera.[28] The Tor Browser gives access to the Tor anonymity network.[28] Tor allows access to the dark web, repeatedly encrypting traffic for privacy.[28] The alternative browsers have low market share compared to the large browsers; for example, Opera is the highest alternative browser by a wide margin, at a 2.49% market share in October 2022.[2]

Features

The most popular browsers share many features in common. They automatically log users' browsing history, unless the users turn off their browsing history or use the non-logging private mode. They also allow users to set bookmarks, customize the browser with extensions, and can manage user passwords.[29] Some provide a sync service and web accessibility features.[30][31][32]

Traditional browser arrangement has user interface features above page content.

Most browsers have common user interface features such as:[citation needed]

  • Allowing the user to having multiple pages open at the same time, either in different browser windows or in different tabs of the same window.
  • Back and forward buttons to go back to the previous page visited or forward to the next one.
  • A refresh or reload and a stop button to reload and cancel loading the current page. (In most browsers, the stop button is merged with the reload button.)
  • A home button to return to the user's home page.
  • An address bar to input the URL of a page and display it, and a search bar to input terms into a search engine. (In most browsers, the search bar is merged with the address bar.)

While mobile browsers have similar UI features as desktop versions, the limitations of touch screens require mobile UIs to be simpler.[33] The difference is significant for users accustomed to keyboard shortcuts.[34] The most popular desktop browsers also have sophisticated web development tools, which allows developers to inspect the webpage operations.[35]

Security

Main article: Browser security

Web browsers are popular targets for hackers, who exploit security holes to steal information, destroy files, and other malicious activities. Browser vendors regularly patch these security holes, so users are strongly encouraged to keep their browser software updated. Other protection measures are antivirus software and avoiding known-malicious websites.

Breaches of web browser security are usually for the purpose of bypassing protections to display pop-up advertising[36] collecting personally identifiable information (PII) for either Internet marketing or identity theft, website tracking or web analytics about a user against their will using tools such as web bugs, Clickjacking, Likejacking (where Facebook's like button is targeted),[37][38][39][40] HTTP cookies, zombie cookies or Flash cookies (Local Shared Objects or LSOs);[41][better source needed] installing adware, viruses, spyware such as Trojan horses (to gain access to users' personal computers via cracking) or other malware including online banking theft using man-in-the-browser attacks.

See also

References

  1. ^ "World Internet Users Statistics and 2019 World Population Stats". www.internetworldstats.com. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Current browser market share". StatCounter. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  3. ^ What is a Browser?. Google (on YouTube). 30 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Less than 8% of people who were interviewed on this day knew what a browser was.
  4. ^ "What is the difference between the internet, browsers, search engines and websites?". Mozilla. 17 June 2021. Let's start by breaking down the differences between the internet, browsers, search engine, and websites. Lots of us get these four things confused with each other.
  5. ^ Manasa, D. (19 July 2011). "Difference Between Search Engine and Browser". differencebetween.net.
  6. ^ "What Is the Purpose of a Web Browser?". 4 August 2015.
  7. ^ "What is HTTP and how does it work? Hypertext Transfer Protocol Definition". WhatIs.com.
  8. ^ "Definition of browser cache". PC Magazine.
  9. ^ Fountis, Yorgos (4 May 2017). "How does the browser cache work?". Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Tracking Cookies: What They Are, and How They Threaten Your Privacy". Tom's Guide. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Alternatives to Cookie AutoDelete extension". AlternativeTo. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  12. ^ "Tim Berners-Lee: WorldWideWeb, the first Web client". World Wide Web Consortium.
  13. ^ Stewart, William. "Web Browser History". Archived from the original on 20 January 2011.
  14. ^ Gillies, James; Cailliau, R. (2000). How the Web was Born: The Story of the World Wide Web. Oxford University Press. pp. 6. ISBN 0192862073.
  15. ^ Calore, Micheal (22 April 2010). "April 22, 1993: Mosaic Browser Lights Up Web With Color, Creativity". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Bloomberg Game Changers: Marc Andreessen". Bloomberg. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  17. ^ Enzer, Larry (31 August 2018). "The Evolution of the Web Browsers". Monmouth Web Developers. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  18. ^ Baker, Loren (24 November 2004). "Mozilla Firefox Internet Browser Market Share Gains to 7.4%". Search Engine Journal.
  19. ^ Routley, Nick (20 January 2020). "Internet Browser Market Share (1996–2019)". Visual Capitalist. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  20. ^ "StatCounter August 2011 data". Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  21. ^ "Internet Explorer usage to plummet below 50 percent by mid-2012" (JPEG). Digital Trends. 3 September 2011.
  22. ^ "StatCounter April-May 2012 data". Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  23. ^ a b "The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge". Windows Experience Blog. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  24. ^ a b c "Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide". statcounter.
  25. ^ "Google Chrome and ChromeOS Additional Terms of Service". www.google.com. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  26. ^ Ariano, Ryan. "How to change your default browser on a Mac computer". Business Insider. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  27. ^ Wallen, Jack (10 May 2022). "Firefox hits the big 100: Why you should use this open-source browser now". TechRepublic. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  28. ^ a b c d e "7 Alternative Web Browsers". PCMAG. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  29. ^ Balaban, David (17 February 2021). "Password Manager Comparison: Top Password Managers for 2021". eWEEK. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Sync your Firefox on any device". mozilla.org. Mozilla.
  31. ^ "Sign in and sync in Chrome". Google Support. Google Inc.
  32. ^ "Sync". brave.com. Brave.
  33. ^ Lee, Simon (29 March 2019). "The Limitations Of Touch Interfaces". Glance. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  34. ^ "Chrome keyboard shortcuts". Google Inc. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  35. ^ "Browsers are the new IDE for Web Development". devworks.thinkdigit.com. 29 June 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012.
  36. ^ Palant, Wladimir. "Adblock Plus :: Add-ons for Firefox". Mozilla Add-ons. Mozilla Foundation.
  37. ^ "Facebook privacy probed over 'like,' invitations". CBC News. 23 September 2010. Archived from the original on 26 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  38. ^ Albanesius, Chloe (19 August 2011). "German Agencies Banned From Using Facebook, 'Like' Button". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  39. ^ McCullagh, Declan (2 June 2010). "Facebook 'Like' button draws privacy scrutiny". CNET News. Archived from the original on 5 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  40. ^ Roosendaal, Arnold (30 November 2010). "Facebook Tracks and Traces Everyone: Like This!". SSRN 1717563.
  41. ^ "BetterPrivacy :: Add-ons for Firefox". Mozilla Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 October 2014.

External links

Wikiversity has learning resources about Web Browser
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Web_browser&oldid=1125847726"