Browsers - A Complete Overview
Last Updated :
16 May, 2025
A browser/Web Browsers is a free software tool, like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, that lets you visit websites, watch videos, and do everything else online. When you type in a website address, the browser finds that page on the internet and shows it to you on your screen.
BrowserFunctions of a Browser
Browsers serve several essential functions, enabling users to interact with the web effectively:
- Takes you to websites: You type in a website address (like www.google.com) or click a link, and the browser finds that page on the internet and shows it to you.This process involves the browser sending a request to a web server, which then sends the website's data back to your browser.
- Displays web content: Browsers can understand and show you different types of content like text, images, videos, and interactive elements on a webpage. They do this by interpreting computer languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build the page you see.
- Helps you navigate: Browsers have features like back and forward buttons, tabs to open multiple pages at once, and bookmarks to save your favorite sites, making it easy to move around the internet.
- Manages security and settings: Browsers have built-in security features to help protect you from online threats. They also allow you to customize your experience, for example, by managing your browsing history, passwords, and cookies (small pieces of data websites store on your computer).
History of Browsers
- The development of browsers started in the year 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee. Later it was changed to Nexus.
- Later, first browser was developed to display text and images on screen named Mosiac. It was the first web browser to have GUI(Graphical User Interface)
- Microsoft launched its web browser Internet Explorer which came pre-installed in Windows. It was a freeware so it ensured .
- In competition with Explorer , Netscape released a browser which later became the foundation of Mozilla with an open source model
- In competition with all these browsers Apple launched its browser Safari in the year 2003 which is a dominant browser of all Apple devices
- Google's Chrome debuted in the year 2008 and had a huge growth and nearly captured all the market share in initial years
- Microsoft replaced Explorer with Edge since Windows 10 was released as a much faster browser
Note: For more details, refer to this article: History of Web Browsers
Learn more about Popular Web Browsers
Let’s go through some popular browsers one by one — covering their installation process, various built-in tools/features, and how to perform different tasks on each of these browsers.
Installation on Different Operation Systems
Google Chrome Tools
Google Chrome Extension
How to.. on Google Chrome
Installation on Different Operation Systems
Mozilla Firefox Tools
Installation on Different Operation Systems
Microsoft Edge Tools
How to.. on Microsoft Edge
Note: Prior to selecting a browser, it is important to determine why you want to use it. For everyday use, you can select any of these browsers, with the exception of Tor, which is typically used for dark websites. You can select Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari from a development standpoint.
How Browser Serves WebPages?
Web browsers function in a client-server model. When you type a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) into the browser’s address bar, the browser takes the following steps:
How Browser WorksStep 1: URL Resolution
The browser uses DNS (Domain Name System) to resolve the domain name into an IP address, which identifies the server where the website is hosted.
Step 2: Sending HTTP Request
The browser sends an HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) request to the server to access the webpage associated with the URL. It requests resources like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and media files.
Step 3: Server Response
The server responds with the requested resources (HTML, images, etc.) along with an HTTP response code. For a successful request, the response code is typically 200 OK.
Step 4: Rendering the Page
The browser starts parsing the HTML content, requesting additional resources such as images, stylesheets, and scripts as needed. CSS is used to style the elements, and JavaScript is executed to add interactivity.
Step 5: Displaying the Content
After receiving and processing the content, the browser renders the page, displaying it to the user. Any user interaction (like clicks or scrolling) may trigger new requests or JavaScript actions.
Commonly Used Terms in Browsers
Here are some commonly used terms when working with web browsers:
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The address used to access resources on the web (e.g.,
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org). - DNS (Domain Name System): A system that translates human-readable domain names (like
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org) into IP addresses that computers can understand. - HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): The protocol used by browsers to communicate with web servers and retrieve web content.
- HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure): A secure version of HTTP that encrypts the communication between the browser and the server, ensuring data integrity and privacy.
- IP Address: A unique numerical identifier assigned to each device connected to the internet, used for routing internet traffic to the correct destination.
- HTTP Response Code: A code returned by the web server to indicate the status of the request (e.g., 200 OK for success, 404 for page not found).
Conclusion
A web browser is more than just a tool for browsing the internet—it is a powerful platform that enables access to rich, interactive, and dynamic web applications. The evolution of web browsers, from basic text-only interfaces to modern, feature-packed applications, has been driven by advancements in web technologies. With better performance, security, and privacy, modern browsers have transformed the way we interact with the web and continue to play a crucial role in shaping the internet of the future. Whether it's for casual browsing, web development, or accessing web apps, browsers will remain the primary medium for exploring and interacting with the internet.
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