What does browser mean? What is a Browser - basics
Novice Internet users ask what a browser is, how it works, and which program is best for PC and phone. Other questions arise regarding the use of the software and its default installation. Below we will analyze in detail all the points that interest beginners.
What is a browser?
So, first of all, let's understand the meaning of the word. So what is a browser? If we talk in simple words, a browser is a program designed to load and view pages, download files, manage applications and perform other tasks. The first such software appeared 26 years ago in 1993. Its name is NCSA Mosaic. The creators of the browser were E. Bina and M. Anderssen, who developed the program for the Windows OS. A feature of the software was open source, which was later used to create more modern software - Netscape Navigator.
Considering what a browser is and what it is for you, you need to note one more point. This is a special web interface, usually intended for surfing the Internet. This software is distributed free of charge. It can be supplied as a stand-alone item or as an add-on to other software items. Eg, Internet Explorer comes with Windows, Safari with Mac OS X, and Google Chrome, Opera and other software as separate software.
Understanding what a browser is on a computer, we can simply say - this is what you are currently reading this text on the Internet in. At the user's request, the browser submits a request to the web server, from where a response is received and the desired page is transferred. After processing the information, the web browser provides the information to the user in a convenient form.
In general, as you understand, in the realities of the 21st century it is simply impossible to do without a Web browser. But let’s say you already have it, what should you do with it?
What is a browser for?
Above we partially examined what a web browser is and what it is needed for. On modern stage The program is used on the Internet and allows you to solve the following problems:
- reading text information;
- downloading files;
- exchange data with other users;
- viewing pictures and videos;
- listening to audio files and so on.
Depending on the functionality, the browser may provide additional features, for example, logging into websites via VPN, setting individual settings, etc.
Review of popular browsers
Now let's look at what browsers there are for PCs and phones. Please note that the names of web browsers may overlap. This is due to the fact that almost all manufacturers make software for computers and smartphones in order to capture the maximum market share.
For PC
If you select browsers for computers, there are five programs in the best category for 2019. Let's take a closer look at them. Please note that below are the most popular ones. But if suddenly your PC does not support them, you will need to pick up
Yandex
Yandex is a fast and convenient web browser that has many additional applications (traffic, weather, music, mail, etc.). It has a nice interface, easy to use, supports extensions from other browsers (Opera, Chrome). During creation, the greatest attention was paid to safety. The program quickly identifies and blocks suspicious sites. There is a turbo mode for loading, a smart line with useful information.
Cons - periodically there are problems with transferring history, lack of benefit for people who do not use Yandex services.
Google Chrome
When considering the question of what browsers are there, one should not miss best programs- Google Chrome. It is distinguished by high speed of connection to pages, simple but clear design, and many applications. Here, for the first time, the search and address input lines for the site are combined. Today, many developers have adopted this idea. It is based on the WebKit engine, which was used to create Safari. Key attention during development was paid to safety. Users are protected from phishing, viruses and other dangers on the Internet.
Pros - separate service panel, fast with other devices, availability, high loading speed, monitoring of used resources, possibility.
Disadvantages - high requirements for RAM (from 2 GB or more), fast discharge of laptops, lack of Russian language in many applications.
Mozilla Firefox
This web explorer is deservedly in the top three, thanks to many useful extensions, automatic ad blocking and other features. Here you can quickly create screenshots, there is a built-in reader and a guaranteed level of security. The control panel is convenient and functional; it supports WASM and WebVR. All updates are installed in automatic mode. Menu settings can be changed at your discretion.
Pros: convenience for web developers, ability to customize the appearance, convenient document reader, reliability.
Disadvantages - slower speed compared to competitors, periodic failures in opening pages, high RAM requirements.
Opera
It's no secret that a browser is primarily a tool for surfing. In this regard, Opera copes well with the task. It has been on the market for a long time (since 1994) and uses the same technology as Chrome. Users have access to a turbo mode for faster loading, a built-in VPN, a convenient access panel, and even voice control. You can watch video content in pop-up windows.
Pros - built-in VPN, widget support, large selection of hot combinations, versatility.
Disadvantages - less reliability, high system requirements, periodic problems when interacting with WML.
Internet Explorer
The Internet Explorer browser was once a leader, but today it has lost its position. This program is built into Windows and installed by default. After the update, the speed of operation increased, the interface was simplified, and support necessary programs to display information correctly. In version 11, a privacy mode appeared,
Pros - does not require installation, has a SmartScreen filter, combines the address bar with search, speeds up pages.
Cons: limited functionality, poor selection of extensions, simple design.
Other developments can be added to the list already discussed - Uran, Mawthon, Safari, etc.
For smartphones
Many users are more interested in the question of what an Internet browser is on a phone. In terms of functionality and purpose, this is the same program as for PC. The difference is that the application is written for the OS for phones - Android, iOS, and so on. Therefore, working in the browser is only available from a mobile device.
List best browsers for smartphones it looks different:
- Dolphin is an application developed by MoboTap and designed for smartphones on Android and iOS. Features - great functionality, fast sync, viewing gestures, working with flash player and much more. The Internet browser has a clear interface, fast loading speed and an incognito mode. Among the shortcomings is the lack mobile version.
- Firefox is a web explorer for smartphones that supports synchronization, HTML5 and allows you to use multiple panels simultaneously. WITH using Firefox you can send content to TV and be sure of virus protection. Quick links to series available social networks. The main drawback is its sensitivity to heavy pages, which may open unevenly.
- Google Chrome is a convenient and fast browser for phones with more than 1 million users. Its features include HTML5 support, fast synchronization, data saving option, no restrictions on the number of tabs, and high level security. The downside is the lack of a large number of add-ons.
- Opera Mini. At one time, this browser gained popularity thanks to fast loading even heavy pages. Today it is one of the lightest and fastest web explorers with integrated protection, fast data saving, night mode and news saving function. The weak point is the limited add-ons.
- Browse Faster is an excellent solution for users who are looking for a fast browser for their smartphone. Its feature is the ability to remove ads, a high level of privacy, fast and safe browsing. The app uses less battery, has privacy plugins and even a password manager add-on. The downside is that there is no integration with Google.
Today, every user knows the benefits of a browser and why it is needed on a phone. This is not surprising, since PC surfing is gradually moving to mobile devices. This fact is confirmed by the activity of manufacturers, who are increasingly focused on creating programs for smartphones. Users can only choose or iPhone. As for the above list, it can be supplemented with other programs - UC Browser, Maxthon5 Browser, etc.
How to choose a browser?
Now you know what browsers there are, what they are in simple words, and how they are used. The difficulty is that in the variety of programs it is difficult to navigate and choose a worthwhile option. In order not to make a mistake with your choice, it is recommended to follow the following criteria:
- Popularity. For 2019, Google Chrome is considered one of the leaders. Other browsers such as Safari are not far behind. Mozilla Firefox. At the same time, Chrome has shown positive growth dynamics over the past three years. According to statistics, browsers that are in demand among users are more in demand and retain their positions longer. It is difficult for new web programs to gain their place in the market among the existing giants.
- Reliability. An equally important criterion is reliability, because many unforeseen risks await the user on the Internet. It is important that the browser works stably and does not close due to a failure in any page. Today, major web explorer developers have changed the way their programs operate, making them more reliable. If a crash occurs, Web Explorer restores all tabs.
- Convenience. This criterion is individual for each person. Some users criticize Mozilla and IE, while others like them. If you look at it from the standpoint of versatility, Google Chrome is considered one of the leaders, where all the controls are well thought out.
- Safety. When working on the Internet, a person is not protected from hackers who can steal confidential or other important information. Of course, some of the problems are taken care of by the antivirus and firewall, but the browser should also act as one of the elements of defense. Today, all manufacturers pay maximum attention to this aspect, but Yandex and Google do the best job.
- Speed. In the developing world, web users expect fast page loading speeds. Frequent freezes are annoying and force you to look for other browser options. The fastest ones include Google Chrome, Yandex and Opera.
- Possibilities. Modern browsers are becoming more than just a shell for browsing pages. This is a "multimedia center" that replaces Mailbox, TV, player and much more. From this position, the leading positions are held by Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
When choosing a web explorer, you need to take into account that the browser is, first of all, an assistant when working on the Internet. That is why the main criteria remain reliability, safety and speed.
Default browser: what is it and how to set it?
When working with a file, you see a link and click it to view the information. Immediately after this, the default browser opens. In the Windows operating system, this is almost always Internet Explorer, but the user can make changes and install the web explorer that suits him best. The question arises, what is it for? The option is set so that you do not have to make a choice each time to launch any page or file for viewing using such software.
Let's look at how to set the default browser for different options:
- Internet Explorer. Enter the program, go to the Tools tab (at the top or bottom in the form of a gear), and then select Internet Options. Next, click on the Programs tab and select the Set as default section. At the final step, confirm your action.
- Opera. Log in to the browser, click on the button with the red letter “O” and select Settings. Next, click on the button to use Opera as default. In earlier versions, after going to Settings, you need to enter General Settings, and then Advanced. Here, find the Programs inscription and check the box asking you to check that the Opera browser is installed by default. Now save and try to enter the program. You will be asked whether to use the default program or not. Here you need to answer positively.
- Mozilla Firefox. Open the program, click on the button with horizontal lines on the right and go to Settings. There, go to the Advanced and General sections. Click on the link Make Firefox the default browser and agree to the given command.
- Google Chrome. Log in to Web Explorer, click on the three dots on the right, go to Settings and set the program as your default browser.
- Yandex. Enter the software, click on the three lines at the top right, enter Settings. Next, go to the Settings tab and go to the very bottom, where you can set the mode of interest.
After completing the steps above, the browser of interest will always open by default.
Where can I find the browser?
Now let's look at the browser locations where it is located on a computer or phone. In relation to a PC, after loading the operating system Windows browser IE can be seen on the desktop. Alternative options are to go to the Start menu and find the program in the list of programs. Alternatively, find it on your desktop. On the phone, after installation, the browser will be accessible from the desktop or application section.
How to use?
For dummies, it is very important not only to find and install a browser, but also to figure out how to use it. Each web explorer has an individual appearance and features. Let's briefly look at each of the options:
- Opera. At the top left there are navigation buttons, then the address bar, and after it the search engine column. When you click on the "plus" it is added new inset, through which you can enter new page. Thanks to the navigation buttons, you can move forward and back, as well as refresh the page. There is a convenient scale control at the bottom right.
- Mozilla Firefox. The situation here is very similar. At the top there is a menu bar, below it there are tabs, and even lower on the left and right there is a window for entering an address and search, respectively. On the left, next to the address input line, there are navigation buttons. There is an add-ons panel at the bottom. Tabs can also be opened by clicking on the plus sign.
- Internet Explorer. Here the situation is similar with Mozilla. The difference is that at the very top there are address entry lines and a search column below the menu. There was a place for tabs underneath. At the bottom right there is a status bar and the ability to zoom in on the page.
- Google Chrome. There are tabs at the top. Below you can find a column that combines the address and search input line. To the left of it are control buttons. On the right is a place for applications and three dots (entrance to the menu).
It is important to consider that developers are constantly optimizing their products and releasing new versions of browsers. As a result, a lot may change, but the management principle itself remains constant. At the same time, everything is done so that every beginner can quickly figure it out and start surfing the Internet.
Have a great day!
The browser is a tool for accessing the World Wide Web. To get the most out of the Internet, you need to understand and know the various functions of a web browser.
In this lesson you will learn what a browser is, and we will also talk about navigating the Internet using a browser, downloading files, bookmarking your favorite sites, tabs and plugins.
A browser is a program for viewing web pages. Using a browser, you have the opportunity to browse the Internet, visit websites, watch images on the Internet, movies, listen to music, etc. Right now you are reading this material using a browser.
What browsers are there?
Currently, there are many web browsers, but the most popular ones are (Chrome) and FireFox(Firefox) . Other browsers: Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari. Each of the above browsers has its own look and navigation, but their goal is the same: to load web pages correctly and quickly.
Like most modern programs, browsers use graphical user interface (GUI), which means you can move and perform actions using the mouse, rather than, as in the early days of the computer, by typing commands.
Some devices, for example, use Various types graphical interfaces such as touch screens. However, many principles remain the same.
The image below shows the graphical interface of a computer where we use a mouse and the touch interface of a smartphone where finger touches are used instead of a mouse.
Navigation
To better learn how to use the browser, you should know some basic concepts.
All browsers have an address bar that shows the web address (also called URL) of the page you are on. To go to another page, you can enter the URL in the address bar and press Enter.
Links
Basically to go to another page you can go by clicking on a link. They can be in the form text or Images, and they usually stand out. They are mostly blue and can be highlighted. If you are not sure whether this is a link or not, then hover your mouse over it and it should change its appearance to a hand icon.
Sometimes after you click on a link, you may want to return to the previous page. To do this, you can use the Back button , Then you can click the Forward button to follow the link again. You can use the Refresh button in cases where the page did not load correctly, the pictures are not visible or part of the text is missing, etc. This happens sometimes.
There are times when you should not use navigation buttons. For example, in online stores, you should not refresh the page after purchasing an item or during the purchase because this may result in purchasing the item twice.
Many browsers have combined the address bar and search bar into one bar. Line where to be Page URL, there you can also write search terms. However, there are browsers that have a built-in search bar as a separate panel.
Adding a bookmark
If you find a page on the Internet that interests you, you can bookmark it. They are added to bookmarks so that later it is easier to return to the page and not forget it. This is convenient and easier than remembering long, incomprehensible addresses and constantly entering them into the address bar.
- In Chrome, you can add a bookmark by clicking on the star, which is located at the end of the address bar on the right. Bookmarks are added in the same way in other browsers.
Story
Let's say you visited a page a few days ago, but forgot to bookmark it. You can find this page using your history, which is a list of sites/pages you have previously visited. Pages typically remain in history for a certain number of days. For privacy, you can delete your history at any time.
View history
- To view history in the Chrome browser, click on the button on the right top corner and select History:
Deleting history
- To delete history in Chrome, go to history and click Clear history.
If you have a different browser, the process for viewing and deleting history will be different.
All browsers allow you to open the link in a new tab. This allows you to leave the current page open. For example, if you are reading an article that contains a link, then you can open the link in a new tab, finish reading that article, and then switch to a new tab.
Tabs are designed to make browsing pages more convenient. You can open as many tabs as you want. They will remain in one browser window without cluttering the screen with multiple windows.
- To open a link in a new tab, right-click on the link, and click "Open link in new tab"
Uploading files
You can download various types of files from the Internet using a browser. Suppose you need to fill out and print a form that you found on the Internet. You can download it to your desktop and then open it using a program (such as Microsoft Word).
How to download a file?
If you click on the link under which the file you need is available, it may download automatically. And sometimes it will just open in the browser instead of downloading. In this case, to download the file you need to right-click on the link and select “Save target as...”
This does not mean that you can download anything from any site. Some sites do not allow you to download content.
Some sites do not allow you to save their images.
Plugins
Plugins are programs that are installed on your browser that allow it to play videos and Flash animations. For example, Quicktime Player and Flash Player. If you don't have it installed necessary plugins, the site, instead of playing the video, will give you a link to download the plugin.
If you have the necessary plugins, you can enjoy streaming videos and play games.
What? You really don't know what it is? But if you are reading this article, then you are using a browser right now. Yes, yes, this is exactly the program with which you or any other user can view the content of websites.
I took a more precise definition from Wikipedia. Actually, here it is: “Internet browser, browser, browser (from the English Web browser) - software for browsing websites, that is, for requesting web pages (mainly from the Internet), processing them, displaying them and moving from one page to another. Many modern browsers can also download files from FTP servers."
If there were no browsers in the world, then we simply would not be able to use the Internet as such. Therefore, as of today, a simply huge number of various browsers have been created in the world, but only a few of them are the most popular. You will learn about them from this article, but a little later. In the meantime, I’ll tell you a little about how browsers were born.
The history of the birth of the browser
NCSA Mosaic is considered the world's first browser with graphical interface user, released in the spring of 1993. It was oriented towards operating system Windows. Its developers were Eric Bina and Marc Anderssen. Since NCSA Mosaic was open source, another successful browser, Netscape Navigator, was built on it, which had much more simple interface and was freed from the shortcomings with which Mosaic was endowed. Netscape Navigator became a commercial success very quickly, so Microsoft specialists created Internet Explorer on the same platform. Since Microsoft almost immediately began adding Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system, it literally conquered the browser market in a short time, becoming almost a monopolist.
As Netscape's popularity and revenues plummeted, the company was sold to AOL, which released the browser code under a free license as the Mozilla Public License. However, Netscape 6 was written using new code and had many advantages and features that other browsers did not have. After some time, the browser gets a name and begins to attract new users.
What about Microsoft? Since the company almost monopolized the market, it decided to practically not bother with Internet update Explorer, so competitors got a head start and gradually began to win back the market.
It is worth noting that back in 1995, another, now very popular Opera browser was released. But Opera was initially different in that it was released as shareware. In those days, paid browsers were commonplace, but today they are completely free, as long as users download them.
Google was the last to join this, so to speak, battle. She “came to her senses” quite late, showing her Chrome browser only in 2008. This, however, did not stop the Internet giant from imposing a fight on its competitors. Moreover, according to the latest data, Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, and the company was able to achieve this in just a few years. Since Chrome is open source, other browsers such as Yandex.Browser are often created on its basis.
Types of browsers
Now it's time to talk about each of the reviewers separately.
Internet Explorer
It's worth starting, without a doubt, with Internet Explorer, because it was once the most popular browser in the world. It was released by Microsoft in 1995. The peak of popularity came in 2002, when the Internet began to enter the masses. In recent years, it has been rapidly losing market share.
Experts often complain that Internet Explorer is poorly protected from outside influences, that is, from Trojans and viruses. Moreover, the government of some European countries advised their residents to stop using Internet Explorer. But despite all the problems, IE is still successful in some countries. For example, in Korea several years ago its share reached 99% of the entire market.
Microsoft continues to update the browser. Currently, Internet Explorer 11 has been released.
Opera
A browser released on the market in 1995, developed by the Norwegian company Telenor. For some reason, it was Opera that Russian users fell in love with, although in the rest of the world it ranks only fifth in popularity.
Until 2009, it was in pursuit of IE, then it overtook it and became more popular. It is also noteworthy that the version of Opera Mini for mobile devices. This browser is built into several gaming platforms.
Mozilla Firefox
The third most popular browser in the world and the first among free software. According to 2013 data, its market share reaches almost 20%. Especially popular in Germany, Poland and Russia. According to numerous reviews from experts, this is the only browser where there are practically no errors when testing applications.
The Firefox logo is a red panda - one of the cutest animals on the planet.
Mozilla has built-in so-called Easter eggs. For example, when you enter the words about:robots in the address bar, you can see the message of robots to people.
Google Chrome
As mentioned above, Chrome entered the market only in 2008. Was developed by Google and is considered. Many experts still have doubts about the latter, but if you believe your own feelings, then this is really true.
Interestingly, Google CEO Eric Schmidt for a long time believed that the company did not need its own browser, but then changed his mind with the help of the company’s founders. This is how Chrome was born.
This browser is gradually conquering the market. Already now he is the most popular columnist on the planet, and he is the first in Russia. In the future, its share will only grow, according to analysts.
Safari
Browser from Apple. Initially it was aimed at Apple computers, but then a version appeared for the Windows operating system. It enjoys good success in the world (market share is more than 8%), but in Russia only every third Internet user uses it.
The first word any newbie hears when entering the Internet is browser. What is a browser? What are they, how to choose the best? There are a lot of questions, but the answers to them are often not available online or they have to be collected piecemeal. I’m going to write a full article on this topic so that any beginner, after reading it, will understand everything from A to Z. For example, you will need to explain the basics of surfing the Internet to your grandmother, who is as far from a computer as the Earth is from Jupiter. It's not a problem! Just open my article to her and let her be enlightened! ;)
So, here is a small plan for our lesson today - lectures - notes, as you like.
We will move according to this plan so as not to miss anything. After this lesson, you should not have any blank spots in this topic. To begin with, I will give a couple of definitions and descriptions of the term “Browser”, since everyone strives to give it their own interpretation, but it can often be erroneous or incomplete. If you give several explanations at once, you can get a complete picture. Then I'll tell you a short history development of browsers in order to understand where it all began and where it is going. Only knowing history, at least briefly, can one understand the current state of affairs. This rule works everywhere: in the political sphere, in the computer sphere, in the legal sphere, and in any other sphere. Below we will list ALL modern browsers that have some weight in the market. After all, why do you need to know about some exotic program used by a bunch of geeks? I think there is no need. Okay, we're starting.
What is a browser
1) Browser, Web browser, is a special program designed for viewing websites. This happens using http requests to the server and receiving data from it, which is processed according to special approved standards and thus a web page is generated.
2) More in simple language Browser- this is the program that you have open in this moment and with the help of which you have the opportunity to now read my article. That is, the browser is a conductor between the World Wide Web and the user. It allows you to access the entire wealth of information available on the Internet.
Now it is clear. We turn on the computer, connect to the Internet, but get any data from it without special program it is forbidden. There must be software that can request information, receive it, process it and display it on the user’s screen. This is exactly what the browser does.
A Brief History of Browsers
The very first browser with a graphical interface is Mosaic from NCSA. But despite being a pioneer in the field of browsers, Mosaic's development was discontinued in 1997 due to loss of market. Now I will explain how it all happened. The fact is that some workers from NCSA migrated to Netscape and began developing a new, more advanced browser - Netscape Navigator. It should have better standards support and be much easier to use. They succeeded and their product was a success.
The well-known company Microsoft drew attention to this. It’s logical, because such a huge piece of the pie practically floated out of their hands. But the situation quickly changed, and in a completely opposite direction, when Microsoft, based on the open source code of the first graphical browser Mosaic, quickly assembled its browser - Interner Explorer. They included it in a mandatory update for their Windows 95 operating system and it was done. Now each user was practically deprived of the right to choose, including due to his illiteracy in this matter. That's the whole secret of IE's stunning success - monopoly. The brainchild of Moycrosoft quickly captured the niche and had about 95% of the market. In this regard, Netscape was forced to close its project. But here they took a rather correct step, namely, they published the code under the free MPL license (which stands for Mozilla public License). This was a great contribution to the fight against monopoly.
It was on the basis of this code that a completely new Mozilla Firefox project subsequently appeared, which was forced to develop faster than IE in order to win the market. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s project was abandoned and practically not improved. They didn’t need it, because users had practically no choice, or rather, the vast majority did not know about alternatives in the form of Mozilla. In the same 1995, another browser appeared - Opera, which, due to its free nature (until 2005, was distributed shareware) was gaining popularity in the CIS countries. IE continued its development only to the 7th version.
Thus, we smoothly approached the next point.
What modern browsers are there?
Google Chrome
. This is a browser that is developed by the giant Google based on their free Chromium browser. It uses the WebKit engine to display the resulting web pages. First public beta version of chrome for operating room Microsoft systems Windows was released on September 2, 2008. A little later, on December 11, 2008, a stable version was released. According to StatCounter data, the browser is currently in first place in popularity in the world, and its market share in May 2012 was 32.43%. As for the RuNet, LiveInternet reports that in May 2012 Chrome ranks first - its share is about 20.6%. As of January 2014 - 32%.
Distributed free of charge under a public license. Included in the set Mozilla programs Application Suite operated by Mozilla Corporation. According to Statcounter, Firefox is the third most popular software in the world, but second among free software, so in May 2012 its market share was 25.55%. It is also worth noting that this browser is particularly successful, for example, in Germany and Poland. There it occupies 55% and 47% of the market, respectively. As for Russia, Firefox ranks third in popularity with a share of 23.73% of users by July 2012. And in January 2014 it was already only 14%.
Internet Explorer. A series of browsers developed by Microsoft since 1995. It is included with the operating systems Windows family. IE, according to the LiveInternet service, in Russia by March 2012 already ranks third with 15.6% of users. As mentioned above, first place goes to Google browser Chrome. It is worth taking into account that Internet Explorer is installed in almost all large and medium-sized companies as the only browser for the purposes of organizational security policies. In fact, alternative reviewers are no worse in this regard, it’s just that the stereotype “since IE is developed by Microsoft, it means it’s a serious product” has become firmly entrenched in the minds of management, who don’t even want to hear that in reality the situation is completely different. Often, work computers have versions 5 and 6 of IE installed, which have unpatched vulnerabilities that are three or four years old.
Opera. Web browser and software package for working on the Internet. Published by Opera Software. It was developed in 1994 by a group of enthusiasts from the small Norwegian company Telenor. Since 1995, it has been a product of Opera Software, which was founded by the authors of the first version. It is known that the total market share of Opera and Opera Mobile in April 2012 about 2.3%. In Russia, the percentage of browser users is much higher than in the rest of the world. Thus, as of March 2012, Opera, together with the mobile version of Opera Mini, took first place in Russia with 32.1% of users. But by 2013 everything had changed. The quality of the mobile version of the browser has dropped, and with the appearance of the desktop version of Opera 18, where bookmarks turned into something very inconvenient, Opera began to sharply lose its fans. As of January 2014 - 9%.
Apple Safari. A browser that was developed by Apple. Included in operating rooms Mac systems OS X and iOS, of course. It is also distributed absolutely free of charge for Windows operating systems. It ranks 4th in terms of the number of users (share as of November 2011 - 6.66%). In the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, its share is 8% as of January 2014.
General graph of browser popularity on the world Internet: 
As you can see, the graph confirms everything I wrote. IE had a virtual monopoly in this area from the very beginning. But gradually its share decreased due to low quality work. It kept freezing, didn't support tabs for a very long time (every page opened in a new window, but freezing 1 window caused them all to crash). Since its inception, FireFox has been beloved by active users, who see this browser as the main competitor to Internet Explorer. But with the advent of Chrome on the market, everything began to change dramatically and at the moment Google’s browser completely dominates this market.
That's all, other browsers, in my purely personal opinion, are not worthy of attention. I'm not the ultimate truth, I'm just expressing my thoughts.
Bottom line. Today I told you about all the popular browsers, now you know what a browser is, as well as their history. I hope this article was useful to you!
For those who continue to understand the Internet and what is connected with it, today we will talk about what a browser is, what it is needed for, and also conduct a small analysis of the most popular Internet browsers today.
What is a browser and what functions does it perform?
A browser (WEB browser) is a program that allows you to view Internet sites on computer devices and gadgets. The essence of the browser is to process the user's request and load the site he requested. Now let's briefly look at what functions the browser performs.As stated above, main function Browser is the opening of web pages of sites. The web pages themselves consist of code, which the browser actually receives from the server on which the site is located. This code the browser processes it, and you see the “finished picture” on your monitor. In order to see what the site actually is, right-click, for example, somewhere in the side part of the site and select the item in the appeared context menu“View source code” (or “Page source code”, or the like). The correct source code is very important for the browser, since the adequate display of site pages and the performance of its functions depends on it.
Browsers allow you to save your passwords from sites so that each time you access your account on a particular resource, you do not have to re-enter your username and password. All browsers also save the history of your visits to various sites, so that if necessary, you can find the site you previously visited. Well, the last thing worth noting from the main functionality of the browser is the ability to store sites in bookmarks for memorizing them and quick access.
In addition to opening the web pages themselves, browsers allow you to download files from sites, that is, the browser downloads them. These can be programs, games, music and other files.
Modern browsers overwhelmingly support various add-ons. These add-ons may include: extensions of browser functions, informers from various resources, as well as add-ons in the form of visual themes for the browser itself. Let's look at them in more detail:
- Extensions. Vivid examples of browser extensions are extensions from antivirus programs: anti-banner and link checking module that protect users from intrusive advertising and also check dangerous links and sites.
- Informers. Informers are also made in the form of extensions. As the name implies, “informers” inform. The most popular informers are weather informers, arrival informers new mail, messages, etc.
- Visual themes. Visual themes allow you to change the design of the browser: tabs, buttons, background images and other elements.
Now let's look at the most popular browsers today.
What browsers are there?
It is very difficult to count the total number of browsers today. Below we want to look at the top five browsers that most Internet users use.
Internet Explorer browser
Internet Explorer is a standard browser that comes with the operating system. Windows system. That is, you will immediately be able to access the Internet through Internet Explorer. We named Internet Explorer first not because it is the most popular or the best, but because initially everyone uses it, at least to download another browser. Yes, by the way, there is a joke on many Internet computer resources: “Internet Explorer is the program with which you can download a good browser.”
Yes, there is some truth in every joke, and as you understand, this joke appeared for a reason. The fact is that Internet Explorer (IE), in our opinion, is not the best the best option browser. Firstly, it is very slow and its slowness lies not only in the operation of the program itself, but also in opening pages. Secondly, IE opens the web pages themselves incorrectly, as they say in common parlance - “crookedly”. In addition, Internet Explorer is a very dysfunctional browser, and most importantly, its updated versions do not carry anything radically new and do not even have a hint of it. IE does not have extension integration support and does not support visual themes, which makes it quite marginal today.
The Internet Explorer browser is used mainly by beginners who do not know, do not understand, or do not really delve into the concept of what a browser is and what other browsers there are besides IE. In most cases, those users who have tried other browsers never use Internet Explorer again, which is why we recommend installing another, or rather a good browser.
Internet Explorer does not require installation as it is integrated into the Windows operating system.
Google Chrome browser
The most popular browser in the territory of the former USSR is a browser called “Google Chrome” (Russian). Chrome is a browser from Google that is not only a popular browser, but also probably the best. By the way, Chrome is a fairly young browser, but at the same time, over the several years of its existence, it has won a large army of fans.
Probably the very first advantage of this browser is its “lightness”, which consists in the fast operation of both the program itself and the quick opening of website pages. This WEB browser is well thought out and therefore very easy to use. A large number of functions is also the strong point of the Google Chrome browser. Let's take a look at the functional features of Chrome separately.
In our opinion, the most important functional advantage of Google Chrome is the synchronization of passwords and bookmarks in the browser with Google server, thanks to which, by entering your login and password, you will have access to your bookmarks and passwords after reinstalling the system or on your other gadgets. This is very convenient, since, for example, when reinstalling the system, it is not as difficult to reinstall it as it is difficult to remember all your visited sites and passwords to them. And with Chrome you just need to log in Google system, and all your bookmarks and passwords will be restored. Also among the functional features of Chrome, it is worth noting the ability to install extensions and change the design style, which are available a large number of in the Chrome Web Store, and for free. Well, the last thing that needs to be mentioned is the smart address bar, that is, in the address bar (in the field where you enter the site address), you can enter and search queries– it’s versatile and convenient.
To download the Chrome browser to your computer, go to: “google.com/intl/ru/chrome”.
Browser Mozilla Firefox
The next browser we would like to consider is Mozilla Firefox. The Mozilla Firefox browser has been around for about 10 years and is one of the old-timers among web browsers. Mozilla Firefox is used mainly by webmasters and advanced users due to its correct and correct display of website pages.
Among the functional features of Mozilla, it is worth highlighting the presence of a huge number of plugins (extensions), the number of which significantly exceeds the range of extensions in Chrome. In addition, Mazil Firefox has the ability to change the visual style of the browser, which is also an advantage.
Despite all this, Mozilla Firefox is a rather “heavy” browser. Compared to other browsers, it takes a little longer to launch, and also sometimes freezes and slows down, even at quite a powerful computer. If we compare Mozilla Firefox with the aforementioned Chrome, then the disadvantage of the first is the lack of synchronization of bookmarks and passwords. Therefore, if there is no special need to use Mazila, then it is better not to use it as the main browser.
Download Mozilla browser Firefox you can from the official website of the browser: “mozilla-russia.org”.
Opera browser
The Opera browser is the elder among browsers, which has existed for almost 20 years. The Opera browser is quite lightweight and convenient. Among the functional features, we can highlight support for widgets and plugins, but they are not widely used. It is worth noting the Turbo function, which allows you to load pages faster with a slow Internet connection or to save traffic by compressing it, but, as a rule, today this function is relevant for laptop owners on limited 3G Internet plans.
Analyzing the Opera browser, it’s impossible to say anything bad about it, but it’s also difficult to single out something good. In our opinion, Opera lacks a certain charisma that would make it stand out among the above browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
You can download the Opera browser from its home page: "opera.com/ru".
And finally, we should say about the fifth browser, which in our opinion deserves its place in our top five. Yandex Browser is the last on our list, but not the least important. Although the first mentioned is Internet Explorer, it is far from a leader, and perhaps even an outsider in our list of top browsers.
As for the Yandex browser, this is the youngest browser developed by Yandex. This browser has only been around for about a year, but despite its novelty, it is quickly gaining its audience. Probably Yandex wanted something more serious than intrusively integrating its Yandex.Bar (add-on with its services) into other browsers, so the company’s developers decided to create their own full-fledged browser. It is somewhat difficult to call Yandex.Browser “our own”, since it is the same Chrome, with a slightly redesigned design and some additionally implemented functions. One such additional feature is the Turbo function, which was borrowed from Opera browser. Let's analyze Yandex.Browser in more detail.
The Yandex browser is made on the same engine as Chrome, so they have a similar appearance and similar functionality. New versions of Yandex Browser now allow you to synchronize your passwords and bookmarks with the Yandex server. The Yandex browser also allows you to install extensions, but they must be installed manually, since Yandex does not have its own store for downloading add-ons. It is worth noting that it is possible to install background picture, but unfortunately there is no way to change the background of the navigation bar in the browser. But there is a convenient “Scoreboard” - a panel with website icons for quickly opening them, which is very original and convenient. You can also note the ability to search for a query in different search engines from the "smart line" of this browser by selecting your desired search engine below.
To summarize, we can confidently say that Yandex.Browser is the same as Chrome, but more focused on Russian-speaking users living in the CIS. If you decide to remove Yandex.Browser, then .
To download the browser from Yandex, go to it official page: "browser.yandex.ru".
