Many people use the browser every day, and at the sound of this word they fall into a quiet panic, trying to figure out what it is and where they broke it... In fact, not everything is so scary - this menacing name is given to the very programs with which we have the opportunity to crawl on the Internet, read websites, watch pictures and films - and now you are looking at it!
The browser allows you to enter the Internet address where the desired site page is located in a special line. He also sends requests to the necessary servers on which this site is located and loads this page from the network. After downloading, it converts all the instructions in the special html language on this page into easy-to-read text. He also downloads and inserts all the necessary illustrations into this text. All this work happens without our participation, and the result, as they say, is obvious - we see the text designed the way the author made it for us.
There are a large number of programs - browsers. Almost every operating system on a computer also installs some kind of browser during installation. For example, on Windows this is Internet Explorer. A shortcut to launch it appears in the most visible place - on the desktop, in the main menu and in the quick launch panel. This is due to the increasingly widespread use of the Internet, so the computer user is immediately provided with the means to contact the operating system website, download updates or programs. Well, and at the same time be like your “classmates”;) The program itself is closely “woven” into the operating system, so it is not recommended to remove it - you may lose some convenience and reliability in the operation of the entire system.
When installing Windows, it installs its Internet Explorer browser in a folder with the same name - Internet Explorer, which, in turn, is nested in the Program Files folder. These are standard folders that are created by the system during installation. Other browsers install like regular programs, so along the way they ask in which folder to install them. They usually offer a folder with the name of the browser, nested within the standard Program Files folder. There is no point in changing it, so during the installation process you don’t have to rack your brain too much - click the “Next” button and that’s it until the installation is completed.
For a long time, the most popular operating system was Windows. It is for the reason that she always installs her browser - Internet Explorer, which has become the most popular. Due to its ability to be integrated into other programs, this “chameleon” has long been used in browsers under other names. They only had a different name, but the device was the same. If there was any problem with Internet Explorer, such browsers automatically stopped working.
However, Internet Explorer's dominance did not last long. There are already a large number of browsers developed by separate groups of programmers, and having their own, independent working core. This allows them to be more flexible, faster and more convenient.
If previously there were two main competitors - Internet Explorer and Netcape Navigator, now we have a wider choice - only for Windows there are now several of the most popular browsers - Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome, and other lesser-known modifications of them . There is even a joke - “Internet Explorer is a browser for downloading other browsers.” You can choose according to your taste, and downloading from the Internet or installing from disk like a regular program is not difficult.
Now almost every mobile phone has a built-in browser, access to which is usually made quick and convenient - either in a separate menu, or from a shortcut widget directly from the main screen in touch models. If you wish, you can install a mobile version of Opera or something else on your phone.
So browsers now surround us everywhere, even where there are no computers, but there is at least one mobile phone. This is such an unexpected browser environment...
However, for now we cannot do without them. This is how the Internet works. Maybe in the future something will change and we will be able to do without a browser, but most likely in the near future they will simply change beyond recognition, become more flexible, but they are clearly not in danger of extinction.
We understand what browsers are, what they are and where to get them
Hello friends. Let's figure out what a browser is and what it is used for. A browser or Internet explorer is a program that is needed in order to visit various sites.
This is, for example, a video player, which is needed in order to play videos, and a browser is needed in order to open sites and their various pages.
In a little more detail, websites and their pages on the Internet operate based on the HTML hypertext markup standard, that is, all websites consist of code based on the HTML markup language. And therefore, all sites in their original form (to view the code of any page or site, you need to press the Ctrl and U key combination while on them) look like this:
And in order to make work on the Internet (global network) convenient and visual for users, browsers were created, and initially they transmitted only text. Now, as we can see, there are a large number of them, with such diverse functions that it is possible to master everything only over a long period of time.
In Windows, the traditionally standard and only (immediately present) browser is Internet Explorer (usually located at the bottom of the taskbar near the Start button). It is far from the most popular and convenient, but you can quite use it (at least download through it another one that is more suitable for you).
Currently, there are several leading browsers that are used by most PC users. These are Google Chrome, Opera (you can find out how to download in the article install Opera for free), Mozilla Firefox for free and other less common ones.
There is no clear answer to the question of which one to choose. Mostly, users come from either habits developed over time (Opera) or popular Google brands (Chrome).
In order to determine which one is right for you, you need to work with each of them, especially since you will better learn what a browser is in practice.
That's all, ask your questions in the comments, thanks for your attention.
Even for those who cannot be called new to the Internet, since they have been surfing the vastness of the World Wide Web for a long time, it is not always clear what is a browser. The presented article is intended for those who are interested in obtaining information on this issue.
What is a browser?
It is customary to call specially written program, used for website visits posted on the Internet. Actually, you also get the opportunity to read this article thanks to one of them. The ancestor of all browsers existing today is considered to be NCSA Mosaic. It was developed by company specialists Microsoft to use as a basis when running a browser called Internet Explorer.
The most popular browsers today
Listing all the browsers that exist today would take too much time. The most popular browsers are:
- Internet Explorer;
Examples of other browsers
Not as popular as those listed above, but quite in demand:
- Konqueror
- Dillo
- Avant
- SeaMonkey
Perhaps the opinion I voiced is subjective, but personally I like working with such a well-known browser as Google Chrome. I am personally convinced that it is the best of all the most popular ones today. It has a fairly high speed, combined with easy handling. The interface of this browser meets all modern requirements.
That's basically it. I hope that I was able to sufficiently illuminate this issue. If anyone is interested in finding out more details history of browsers, then it is better to turn to the services of Wikipedia. Remember that when you go on a trip, you shouldn’t forget about installation. After all, the browser’s capabilities are not always enough to protect against the effects of codes containing viruses.
It is difficult to imagine the modern world without communication through social networks. On the world market you can find a wide variety of computer products - iPads, tablets, modern Androids and so on, each of them has access to the global Internet. Any information you are interested in can be downloaded via Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Mozilla Firefox and others. So what kind of programs are these that perform similar tasks? This browser is an executable program that is independent of other software installed on your computer or phone.
Programs of this type should be convenient and understandable for the user, so as not to create problems and not distract from the main goal - viewing web pages, sites, blogs, etc. Their widespread use on the Internet has rapidly expanded since the dawn of the global network. They are like a link between a website and its visitors. Therefore, it is not surprising that search engine optimization of websites provides for the convenience of viewing Internet resources on smartphones.
You can choose the best browser for you using statistics. With each request to the server, the browser reports information that affects its state. Browser usage statistics are necessary for planning the development of the technical characteristics of the site. Each user chooses the browser they will use in the future. On the Internet you can get general statistics on the use of browsers by all sites. You can find out which is the best, fastest and most reliable by reading reviews on various specialized sites, blogs or forums. Or try them out from personal experience, choosing over time the most convenient one. We will allow ourselves to give you some milestones on the way to the world of mobile browsers.
- Dolphin Browser is a fast, convenient browser for Android. The audience of his fans is rapidly expanding. However, with each release it becomes a little less nimble.
- Chrome is the mobile version of the most popular desktop browser. Not to say that it is the best choice for mobile surfing, since often the smartphone does not have enough resources to satisfy the gluttony of this program.
- Opera Mobile is a very popular browser, the choice of millions of users. It is installed on smartphones even by those who do not use Opera on their computer.
- Mozilla Mobile – Mobile version of the once most popular browser. A confident middling, not the fastest, but also not herding those behind. Surely it will be more convenient for you to use this browser if you have a desktop version on your home computer.
If you like to experiment, we can recommend several more browsers for installation - UC Browser, CM Browser, Javelin. Surely from this list you will be able to choose a program that fully meets your requirements for the browser, its speed and functionality. If you come across the following names, we recommend that you skip them, because these are the browsers that have problems. Of course, the display of content may not be the most ideal either. These browsers are:
- Puffin
- Next Browser
- Lightning Browser
However, everything flows, everything changes, and who knows, maybe in the next release these programs will go from outsiders to leaders.
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Imagine a huge library that contains millions of books. The library is the Internet, and each book is a web page written in a special programming language. The Wikipedia page looks like this:
Among all these signs it is difficult to make out the information. Therefore, the browser serves as a special tool for reading these characters and displaying information in a form convenient for us.
What browsers exist: the most popular types
There are a lot of Internet browsers and they all have their own characteristics. Let's talk about the most accessible ones in more detail.
Google Chrome
One of the leading Internet browsers. Its advantage is its simple interface. Google Chrome is fast and safe, it has its own constantly updated database of unsafe sites. In its settings you can set the page viewing mode. Data in this mode is not saved in cookies or history. In Chrome settings there are already installed plugins and an online extension store. If desired, you can speed up the software through the task manager. The profile in Chrome is synchronized with other devices, so it is also very popular as a mobile browser.
Internet Explorer
The oldest Internet browser, once extremely popular. It is known to many users as it is part of the Windows operating system and is considered a “download browser”. Internet Explorer, despite all the improvements and additions, cannot compete with modern and fast software. It has poor support for the major html and css languages that most pages are written in. Therefore, elements are displayed incorrectly, and layout designers have to adjust the code.
Microsoft Edge
This is the newest replacement for Internet Explorer. It comes installed with Windows 10. Edge is built on a completely new foundation that makes it fast, secure, and stable. It has the Cortana voice assistant feature, but it is somewhat inferior to the voice assistants of other systems. Edge also adds InPrivate mode, which is similar to Chrome's incognito mode.
Opera
This web browser is among the top best browsers for personal computers and mobile devices. Opera has its own special features, the equivalent of which not all competitors have. You can't ignore the Opera Turbo feature, which allows you to speed up loading sites. When you turn on turbo mode on congested and slow networks, pages open much faster. In addition, Opera works great on slow devices. It is an ideal option for users with limited traffic. By speeding up page loading, it greatly reduces the amount of traffic. A very convenient solution is built-in ad blocking without third-party plugins and extensions. Thanks to this, the speed of work increases by 3 times. This feature can be disabled in the settings if desired. But probably the main advantage is the built-in free server.
Other advantages of Opera:
- It is possible to control via hot keys.
- In energy saving mode, up to 50% of the device's charge is retained.
- Opera has a wide range of extensions and themes for design.
Yandex browser
This is a young web browser developed by the Yandex search engine. Created on the same basis as Google Chrome. In some features, Yandex Browser is in many ways similar to Chrome, only it is connected to Yandex services. Among the features, we can note control through mouse gestures: hold down the right button and make the necessary gesture.
Mozilla Firefox
A convenient and high-quality browser that has won the trust of users. It has a simple and intuitive interface. The program's tools can be expanded unlimitedly with other extensions and customized to suit your needs. However, when installing a certain number of add-ons, it becomes slower.
Safari
Provided with MacOS, but there are modifications for Windows. It has an elegant and simple design, the ability to add extensions and is equipped with all other necessary functions.
Why do users need a browser?
The main function of a web surfer is to display website pages.
Most users use it not only for searching the Internet, but also for:
- watching movies, TV series, cartoons in good quality;
games; - training;
- text translation;
- listening to music;
- downloading any files;
- online shopping, bank transfers;
- reading.
Some capabilities are provided by the pages themselves: in the case of games, the browser plays the role of an intermediary. Other features, such as support for various document formats and saving bookmarks, belong to the functionality of the web browser itself.
Extensions
These are additional tools that perform specific functions and tasks. There are special plugins for protection from advertising, for saving articles and videos to certain sites. Thanks to extensions, users have new opportunities and the functionality of programs for viewing hypertext documents on the Internet changes.
Why do developers need a browser?
Looks at the page differently than a user. It needs special tools and plugins to work properly.
A developer needs a browser for:
- testing your site on all types of web browsers;
- viewing the DOM tree, CSS styles;
- using the JavaScript console to check code and debug.
Cross-browser compatibility: what is it, why is it needed, how is it achieved
The same site may appear differently in different web browsers. – this is the correct display of your page on different programs.
The reason for problems with uneven display of the site lies in the history of the development of systems for viewing pages on the Internet. Essentially, the reason is that different software interprets the same code differently. Such differences are a real headache for site creators.
Cross-browser compatibility is achieved using conventional CSS tools. If this is not very effective, then hacks will come to the rescue. And for Internet Explorer, conditional comments are used, they only work in IE, other browsers simply ignore them.
