Browser and its functions. What modern browsers are there?

So, today we have to study browsers. Types, capabilities and differences this software- that's what you should pay attention to. In fact this question It’s not that complicated once you figure out what’s what. And few people have not heard of browsers. IN modern world This software has been an integral part of standard software for a long time. So only beginners know about it. Let's try to understand what exactly we are talking about, as well as what types and differences browsers have. Then you can choose the best option for your computer.

Window to the Internet

First you have to study the very concept of a browser. Types of browsers and their capabilities are a simpler question. To begin with, it is important to understand what exactly we are talking about. What software are we dealing with?

A browser is a so-called window to the Internet. An application that serves to access the network and visit various web pages. Sometimes it is also called an Internet browser. The origin of the term is very easy to understand. This is where it comes to the rescue English language. After all, if you think about it, browse means browsing. A browser, accordingly, is a program that helps you watch a variety of Internet resources. It would seem that there is nothing difficult. But there are different types browsers. And the capabilities of this software are varied. What should you pay attention to? What types of Internet browsers are there? What to choose for yourself?

Standard set

The point is that our current subject of discussion is endowed with various possibilities. It all depends on which option is in front of you. But in general, the functionality of the browsers is the same. What can be included in it? Which standard features included in all such programs?

There are different types of browsers. Typically, standard functions include viewing web pages and other Internet resources. That is, any browser will allow you to engage in so-called Internet surfing.

You can also add interesting pages bookmarked. They will be saved as a separate address in the corresponding menu item in your browser. Another opportunity that every Internet browser has.

Plus, here you can save passwords and logins from web pages. Usually this happens automatically; the user only needs to confirm the action. The built-in search function also takes place.

Another very interesting feature that all existing types of browsers have is working with the so-called browsing history. You can turn it off at any time or see when and what page you visited. This item is also called privacy settings.

As you can see, there are a lot of options. Standard set The functions of all browsers are not particularly different. Except for menu item captions. But the possibilities don't end there. Each user is able to independently expand the functionality. More on this a little later. First you need to know what browsers can be. The types, differences, pros and cons of each - this is what interests many.

"Chromium"

Let's start with the most popular, widespread and successful option. It's about about a browser called Google Chrome. Actually, this is the brainchild of the famous Google. A similar Internet browser appeared not so long ago, around 2008. But now it has won the hearts of many users.

The fastest, most productive and easiest to use and configure option. It's convenient to work with him. There are almost no glitches or malfunctions; the operating system does not load at startup. Chrome became popular due to the lack of high demands on computer resources, as well as for security.

If you work a lot with Google, then this is the ideal option for you. There is special menu to work with a Google account. Very convenient, if you think about it. By the way, Chrome is suitable even for weak computers. This is what attracts many people to him. browsers usually require several times more computer resources than Chrome.

"Mozilla"

Nevertheless, there is still competition among Internet browsers. In second place is Mozilla Firefox. This content is somewhat reminiscent of Chrome, but has existed longer than the brainchild of Google. True, Mozilla is more demanding on the computer. It loads the system to a greater extent. Nevertheless, it remains popular and in demand to this day.

Why? We are now studying all types of them) have their pros and cons. For Chrome, this is low demands and speed. And Mozilla has fast performance and enormous possibilities in the field of settings. That is, the functionality of the software. It is Mozilla Firefox that has advanced settings that allow you to use all the features of the utility as accurately as possible. In principle, if you are not a fan of Google, and your computer is not too old, you can use Mozilla.

"Opera"

What other browsers are there? Their types are varied. But among the most popular is “Opera”. This is a fairly old, but no less common browser. Its main advantage is the functionality of the software. It is expanded to the maximum. After installing the application, the user receives a whole set of useful browser extensions that will help expand the standard functions. That is, you do not need to download and install anything yourself. Many settings, functions and buttons - what an advanced user needs.

But Opera is demanding on the computer due to its capabilities. Moreover, it is difficult for a beginner to understand this browser. After all, as already mentioned, a lot of different functions are hidden in it. In principle, a good option for those who are already familiar with the Internet. Of course, a more powerful computer is required than for the same Mozilla. But this is not such a problem.

"Explorer"

We've almost sorted everything out popular types browsers. The capabilities of each utility are the same. Now it’s worth paying attention to the most popular, or rather, the constantly occurring option. It doesn't make users very happy, but sometimes there is simply no choice. We are talking about a program called Internet Explorer.

Perhaps every user is familiar with this software. This is a standard Internet browser that is included in the list of Microsoft programs. Demanding on the computer, not very functional. Security is poor, and the speed of operation leaves much to be desired.

Most often, Explorer is called a browser for downloading browsers. This means that on a “clean” operating system you will use Explorer only once - while you download the installation file from another browser. Few people work with Explorer now. Many people notice: the computer slows down very much when running this utility. Even the most powerful, gaming one. Therefore, it is recommended not to interact with Internet Explorer too often. Interestingly, he is often called "Donkey". Probably for the speed of work and stubbornness.

"Yandex"

IN lately Another option began to gain popularity. Browsers (we have almost completely studied their types, along with the capabilities of each offer) are all free and accessible. Many programmers are trying to create and promote their own Internet browser. Yandex.Browser appeared relatively recently. This is the brainchild of Yandex.

Actually, it is somewhat similar to Chrome. Only Google offers a simpler and user-friendly interface. In addition, Chrome has more functionality than Yandex. Although the performance, security and demands on the computer are almost the same.

It is not difficult to guess that Yandex.Browser is adapted to work with the search engine of the same name. If you constantly work with a Yandex account, then this browser will make your life easier. It has everything that is needed for the convenience of such users. There are no other significant differences.

Apple

So we found out what browsers can be. The types, differences, and characteristics of each are no longer such a mystery. But all previous utilities were invented for Windows. Don't forget that there is also MacOS, an Apple product.

For such users, they have their own, “branded” browser - Apple Safari. It is not endowed with any special features. This is just an Internet browser from Apple for MacOS. Something like Explorer. It just works better, faster and doesn’t annoy users.

Typically, those who use Apple use Safari to surf the Internet. It has the most common, unencumbered settings, a clear and discreet interface. So you can pay attention to it. Especially if you have MacOS.

Possibilities

This is where we can finish the conversation about types of browsers. The most popular, safe and used options were presented to our attention. Moreover, it is now clear what functions are available in this or that software. But, as already mentioned, you can expand the functionality of any Internet browser, providing opportunities that were not originally there.

How exactly is this done? By installation special extensions and plugins. These are peculiar additional features, built into the browser. Each type has its own extensions. You just need to download and enable them in the software settings.

What kind of plugins and extensions can there be? Any. Here you can find ad protection and applications for downloading videos/music from social networks, and just some mini-games, as well as entertainment software. In general, the list can be continued indefinitely. This means that the capabilities of browsers are not limited in any way. Only with the resources of your computer and the creativity of the developers.

What to choose

Which browser to choose for work? Each user decides this for himself. In any case, preference is given to safe and quick options. If you use a Google account or just a search engine of the same name, and you need fast software that guarantees the safety of working on the network, Chrome is your choice. In second place is "Yandex.Browser" (of course, if you use the capabilities of this hosting). It is also recommended to opt for Mozilla.

Opera is a browser for advanced users. It is not recommended for beginners to contact him. But it is preferable to abandon Explorer. It is this software that, as a rule, brings a lot of problems to users. Take this factor into account when choosing a browser. The final decision is yours!

05/01/2019 17:33

Each person has unique tastes, preferences, and requirements. If one thing gets tested by a hundred people, each will give a different result. Some opinions will be similar, others will differ and this is natural. In the area software everything is exactly the same. A browser is a program that a person uses to surf the Internet. We launch it every day, so it’s important to choose convenient browser, which will meet all requirements.
Using the browser, you can search for any information, listen to music, watch movies, and play your favorite games. Any rating will be controversial, but let's try to rank the best best browsers. In this article you will look at the criteria for choosing a good browser for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. We will study in detail the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Based on our rating, you will be able to choose a good browser for yourself.

Google Chrome 1st place

Advantages:

1. High speed. Chrome is significantly superior to its competitors in terms of browser speed, as well as processing of displayed resources. In addition, there is a convenient function preload pages, this further increases the speed of work.
2. Safety. The company has implemented reliable technologies that ensure the safety of using the browser. They continue to actively develop. The browser has a database of phishing and malicious resources, which is updated regularly. The browser works according to a unique scheme in such a way that not a single process is used, but several at once, but with lower privileges. Downloading files with .bat, .exe or .dll resolution requires additional confirmation, which reduces the chances of downloading a virus.
3. There is an "Incognito" mode. This is a very convenient feature when you need to view a large number of sites, but not leave traces of their visit on your computer.
4. Thoughtful interface. It is quite simple and contains everything you need, without unnecessary elements. Chrome is the first browser to offer quick access. On the panel you can see the most visited resources. Another feature is sharing address bar and search engine. Later this feature was implemented in other browsers.
5. Stable job. Recently, there have been no such cases when Google work Chrome was experiencing crashes or became very slow. This can only happen if there are viruses in the system. In many ways, security and stability are improved by using multiple processes that are separated from each other. If one of them stops working, the others continue to function.
6. There is a task manager in the "Additional tools" menu. Almost no one knows about this feature. Thanks to convenient tool you can track how many resources an entire tab or a separate plugin takes up. You can find and fix the source of the problem if the application starts to slow down.
7. Large selection of extensions, many of which can be downloaded for free. There are also many plugins and themes available. The browser can be customized depending on personal preferences, which is very convenient.
8. There is a possibility automatic translation pages. Google Translator is used for this.
9. The program is updated in automatic mode without disturbing the user.
10. Search queries can be specified by voice, for this purpose the service “ OK Google».

1. Starting with version 42.0, support for NPAPI plugins was stopped, including the fairly popular Flash Player.
2. For the application to run smoothly, you need at least 2 GB of RAM.
3. Most of the extensions and plugins are made in a foreign language.
4. A significant load on the hardware contributes to the short battery life of laptops and smartphones.

Yandex.Browser 2nd place

Advantages:


Flaws:

1. Not everyone will like the original interface.
2. Link to various services Yandex. Without them, the program is deprived of many features.
3. Rarely, but still problems arise with transferring settings and history.

Mozilla Firefox 3rd place

Advantages:

1. A simple and very convenient interface with no unnecessary details.
2. A convenient settings system that allows you to radically change your browser, customizing it to your liking.
3. A large number of various plugins. They can be selected to suit any taste, because current moment there are more than 100,000 of them.
4. Cross-platform. The browser can be downloaded for any operating system that is used on modern technology.
5. Reliability. I have found myself in situations where the user caught a banner that blocked all browsers, but Firefox continued to function.
6. Maximum level of security and privacy of personal data.
7. Convenient bookmarks bar.
8. The program may refuse to allow various websites to track information about you. Can be customized private browsing pages. In addition, there is a Master Passwords feature that further protects your entries on certain resources.
9. Updates occur in the background without the need for user intervention.

1. Compared to Chrome, the interface is a little slower and takes longer to respond to user manipulations.
2. Performance is average;
3. Lack of script support on some resources, as a result of which the content may not function properly.
4. The application requires a large amount of RAM to run.

Opera 4th place

Advantages:

1. Excellent speed of operation and page display. Features of the browser include turbo mode, which significantly increases page loading speed through the use of cloud technologies. At the same time, traffic is significantly saved, which is very important when using mobile version.
2. There is a convenient express panel with saved bookmarks. This is a modified Speed ​​Dial tool that we saw in previous versions of the browser.
3. Opera Link technology, which is needed to synchronize different devices.
4. Lots of hotkeys for easy control.
5. Opera Unite Internet browser.

1. For efficient work A large amount of RAM is required. If you open several tabs at the same time, Opera will start to slow down. Even the reliable Chrome engine does not improve the situation.
2. On many sites it is observed incorrect operation scripts and various forms. There are a large number of complaints when working with WML.
3. Stability cannot be called strong point browser. The company was never able to get rid of periodic crashes and freezes.
   4. Own system bookmark, which was nicknamed "Piggy Bank". It's pretty interesting solution, but it is poorly implemented.

K-Meleon 5th place

Advantages:

1. Small requirements for PC resources, including a low amount of RAM.
2. Using the native Windows interface, which significantly saves time and resources spent on the interface.
3. High speed.
4. Good personalization options without having to use third party extensions. Everything is arranged using macros. It will be difficult for a beginner to master, but free time we can sort this out.
5. There is a large selection of assemblies. You can choose an extension with the desired set of functions.
6. You can create multiple profiles for different users.

1. Quite a clumsy interface. If we compare it with the leaders of the Top 5, then of this browser too simple design.
2. Rarely, there are problems with displaying the Cyrillic alphabet, but in latest updates the situation has been corrected.

Internet Explorer

Now there are many browsers that we did not mention in our review. We've presented our picks for the best browsers, but everyone may have a different opinion. The review includes only those reviewers that I have encountered. They are completely free to download and use without any restrictions. The current version can be found on the official website. If you can suggest decent browsers that should be in the Top 5, then indicate your options in the comments.

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While you're reading this article, then you, like many, are interested in the question, what is a browser? No matter how strange it may sound, you essentially already know the answer to it, you just probably don’t guess it yet. I'll try to explain. To put it briefly, then browser is a program for viewing Internet pages. That is, in order to read the information presented on this page, at a minimum, you had to launch the browser by clicking on its shortcut on the desktop or elsewhere on your computer, and type in the search engine (Yandex, Google and others) the query “ what is a browser"or something similar to this one, find my site in the search results and go to it. Do you see how many independent actions you have already taken? Would you be able to do all this without having the slightest idea what a browser is and how to use it? Of course not.

All your steps have led you to what you were looking for, in this case to this page on my website that you are currently viewing. Now let's go back to the definition of a browser: a program for viewing Internet pages. And, if I understand correctly, this is what you are doing now. You see, you are already using the browser for its intended purpose. Naturally, it has other functions, the main ones of which we will now examine.

Basic browser functions

My regular browser is Firefox, but I often use others at work. I will give you the main features of an Internet browser using, as you guessed it, Firefox as an example, but they are practically no different from the functions of other browsers. And so, let's go.

You launch the browser by clicking on its shortcut with the mouse, and you are taken to your home page. In my case, it is the Yandex search engine (yandex.ru). This page always opens when the browser starts. You can also get to it at any time by simply clicking on the house icon in the right top corner(circled in red in the figure) or by pressing simultaneously Alt keys and Home. , I think it’s clear.

It is recommended to set the home page to the one you visit most often, from which you would like to start your daily work on the Internet. Changing it is very simple. To do this, just click on “Firefox” in the upper left corner and enter Settings, as shown in the figure below.

A window will appear in front of you, in which in the “Home Page” field you need to enter the address of the required site, for example http://www.yandex.ru or http://vk.com. You can enter the address of absolutely any site. We figured out how to change the home page and what it is. Let's move on.

Since we're talking about website addresses, let's dwell on them. Each site is unique. You will never find sites with completely identical addresses. Let's make an analogy with real life. It is unlikely that there will be families living in different apartments or houses located at the same address.

The website address very often begins with “www”, but this part can be omitted. Next, separated by a dot, is the name of the site, for example, the same beloved “yandex”. We put another dot and write the end of the address: ru, com, net. org and others. In our case, we received the address of the Yandex search engine “www.yandex.ru”. To get to the site by its address, just enter it in address bar your browser.

For faster access to your favorite sites, they were invented bookmarks. Just click on the star icon to the right of the address bar or press the Ctrl+D key combination, and a window will appear in which you need to enter the name of the bookmark, select the folder required for it and click “done”. You can bookmark absolutely any sites you like; for convenience, they can also be divided into folders. To view bookmarks, you need to click on the corresponding icon in the upper right corner in the case of Firefox, or in a slightly different way depending on the browser.

For more easy navigation there are sites tabs. If you want several Internet pages to be open at the same time, then be sure to use tabs. To open a new tab, click on the plus sign (circled in red).

Most often the Internet is used for information search. Naturally, it is impossible to do this without a browser. Since you are reading this article now, you most likely already know how to search for information on the Internet. I recommend using search engines such as yandex.ru and google.ru for these purposes. In your request, be as specific as possible about what you want to find. For example, if you live in Moscow and want to buy a car, write this in the search bar "car sales in Moscow".

Types of browsers

There are quite a lot of browsers, but only a few of them have gained popularity. Let's talk about them.

- one of the oldest browsers that has survived to this day. IE is part of Windows, which is probably why it has gained popularity around the world. Perhaps this is his main advantage. Despite the fact that it is being developed by specialists from Microsoft, Internet Explorer lags behind other browsers in many respects; it often displays sites incorrectly and does not support many modern standards, the speed of its operation is also not encouraging, although it has noticeably increased in new versions of the program.

Opera is a very old browser, has many different settings, functions and extensions, and is very fast. This browser, in my opinion, will be somewhat difficult for beginners, but if you understand it, you can safely make it the main one for work and entertainment. Personally, I haven't used it much, but I noticed a few negative points. Firstly, it displays some sites a little incorrectly, most often the problem is increasing the font size. I think this bug will be fixed in new versions. Secondly, when Opera first launched, for some reason it did not import bookmarks, passwords, history and other data from my other browsers. This function I still found it, but the path to the profile with the data had to be specified manually. In my opinion, this is somewhat inconvenient. Maybe I did something wrong, I don’t deny this point, but the fact remains a fact. Yandex Browser, for example, coped with this task in no time. Thirdly, there was a case when I opened only one page, while neither the browser nor the computer was restarted by anything, after which Opera froze for about half a minute, maybe more. Of course, these are all accidents, and this can happen with any browser, I’m just sharing my impressions of using them. In general, the browser is very good; it supports all, or almost all, modern standards and technologies.

— first appeared in 2002, is regularly updated, supports all modern standards, displays sites as correctly as possible, has many additional extensions and plugins that are easy to install and update. Firefox also has its drawbacks: sometimes the browser freezes for a while, sometimes even for a few minutes, after which its work may stop altogether, citing some kind of error. It also happens that the browser, saying in simple language, buggy. For example, now on some sites you have to manually enter logins and passwords every time, despite the fact that they are saved in the browser and should be displayed automatically. I also noticed such a glitch as the periodic loss of spell check: sometimes it disappears on its own and then appears on its own, without me doing anything. It is worth noting that Firefox has very good support, so all problems are often solved in new versions or in other ways, which can be found on the program forum.

- appeared relatively recently, in 2008, but has already gained popularity all over the world. Google Chrome can be described in three words: fast, simple and convenient. Despite its visual simplicity, the browser has all the necessary capabilities and supports all modern standards. Even a beginner can master it in a matter of minutes. Proof of the convenience of Google Chrome is the fact that many of the technical details first used in it were subsequently borrowed from it by other browsers. For example, tabs in browsers for a long time were located under the address bar, above which there was also a menu in the form of drop-down lists, as a result of which the browser header turned out to be quite cumbersome. If my memory serves me correctly, then for the first time in Chrome, the tabs were moved under the address bar, and the menu was moved to a completely different place.

- is the youngest browser on this list and in the world as a whole; at the time of writing, its age is only a month, but despite this it is actively gaining popularity, as a rule, among the Russian-speaking population. In my opinion, he has a great future, especially in Russia and the CIS. But if the Yandex company makes more effort, then the browser may go far beyond the borders of our country, although it’s hard to believe, we’ll wait and see. It combines all the advantages of modern browsers, and also has its own individual characteristics. For example, only in this browser did I see that the titles of Internet pages are displayed not only in the tab, but also in the address bar. In my own way appearance and the interface of Yandex Browser is very similar to Google Chrome, they are also made on the same engine. The browser works very smoothly, quickly and without brakes, according to at least, this is exactly how he showed himself in my case. Separately, it is worth mentioning the Yandex Browser security system, which was developed at Kaspersky Lab, as well as Turbo technology, which speeds up the loading of sites, which was created by Opera and will appear in the next versions of the program. I myself have not tested or verified these developments, since I have neither the opportunity nor the desire.

The list could also include a browser from Apple, but, as far as I know, its development and support for Windows has recently ceased. Let me just say that the browser is really made of very high quality and beautiful, like any other product from Apple. If you want, you can download Safari and use it, you are unlikely to be disappointed.

Which browser is better?

Each Internet user must choose a browser for himself. Neither I nor any other person can completely objectively answer the question of which browser is better. This is most likely a matter of taste. For example, I don’t really like working on Opera, but this does not mean that this browser is worse than others. Many of my friends use it.

As you already understood, my choice on at the moment— Mozilla Firefox. Since I use it more often than others, I have included more specific examples This browser has problems and errors, but this does not mean that others do not have them. Absolutely every browser glitches at times, just like any other program. Some, of course, have fewer glitches, some have more, but everyone has them. Any browser can freeze and crash, there’s no escape from it.

For beginners, I would recommend browsers such as Google Chrome and Yandex Browser. I'll explain why. They are the easiest to learn, everything is as simple as possible, there is nothing superfluous, complete minimalism. You won't need to scour the jungle of menus to find this or that function, everything is on the surface. But despite their apparent simplicity, both of these browsers are very powerful and support all modern standards. The initial functionality in them without installing any additional extensions is also quite large. For example, only these two browsers are initially able to translate sites from foreign languages. For others, this function becomes available only after installing additional plugins.

Perhaps, objectively, or almost objectively, I can only speak about Internet Explorer. It is this browser that displays websites incorrectly more often than others, and I have also heard that its security system is lame. Despite the fact that IE is the oldest browser on this list, lately it has only had to catch up with its young competitors, and it is not doing it the best way.

When choosing a browser, you can also look at popularity ratings, but I don’t advise you to rely on them. Each person must choose for himself what he likes. For example, there are still a lot of users in the world who prefer IE, but, in my opinion, this is only because it is installed on the computer along with Windows. Most people do not like to change anything and look for the best, but use what they already have. I also used Internet Explorer before, but that was a long time ago. At that time I was not such an active Internet user as I am now, I didn’t know all the intricacies, I thought that sites should be displayed exactly as in Explorer, I just didn’t know any better. If something on a site was missing or was too large or, on the contrary, small, I thought that the error lay in the site itself, but, as it turned out, I was wrong. In the original version of this article, I gave a rating of the popularity of browsers in Russia and in the world as a whole, but then I realized that this was not necessary, since it is constantly changing and it can be done right choice definitely won't help.

When choosing a browser you need to pay attention to several main points:

• Convenience - each user must decide on this point for himself. To do this, download a browser, work on it for several hours, and if you feel any inconvenience or don’t like something, download and test the next one. And so on until you understand which browser is most convenient for you. In principle, the list is small, so testing will not take long.
• Functionality- By by and large All of the above browsers have sufficient functionality for almost any Internet user. If one or another function is missing, you can always download and install an add-on or plugin.
• Speed ​​- I personally haven’t checked the speed of a particular browser using any services, much less stopwatches. I can say that the latest versions of each of them work quite quickly. Somewhere I saw the results of a study, according to which it loads the fastest Chrome web pages, but displays the visible part of the page on Firefox screen. How true this is, I don’t know. I don’t think that Yandex Browser or Opera are far behind them in this indicator.
• Correct display of sites— it would seem, why don’t developers update their browsers and make them display sites correctly. Imagine how cool it would be if every website looked exactly the same in all browsers, how many fewer problems would there be for layout designers (specialists who “pull” the design onto the site), but no, developers cannot yet bring their browsers to this level perfection, but it's a pity. I would like to note right away that browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Yandex Browser display sites as correctly as possible. Opera also supports almost all modern standards, but there are still times when it does not display a particular style correctly. Recently, it was because of her that I had to redo the font sizes on one of my sites, since she increased them very much. Also go, for example, to Yandex Market and see how it is displayed in Opera and in any other browser listed above, I’m sure you will see the differences. I don’t really want to talk about Internet Explorer, but I will still say: this is one of the most backward browsers in terms of correctly displaying sites. It doesn't play well with shadows and other effects. Very often they write specifically for IE separate file styles so that it at least somehow copes with its task.
• Security - to be honest, by any special means this item I haven't checked. I know that Chrome and Firefox seem to be fine with this, you can also bet big on Yandex Browser thanks to cooperation with Kaspersky Lab, I can’t say anything specific about Opera, I heard about IE that the security system is so-so. In any case, install antivirus software on your computers, and everything will be fine.

When it comes to choosing a browser, never completely trust anyone’s opinion. What someone else seems comfortable and ideal, you may not like at all, and vice versa. The most important thing in a browser for ordinary Internet users, in my opinion, is convenience. If you are satisfied with the work of the browser, its interface is pleasant and it is simply convenient to use, then you are unlikely to pay special attention to other points. But in any case, try to evaluate the browser on the other points listed above and then make your final choice. Moreover, now, I hope you understand what a browser is, why it is needed and how to use it correctly. Personally, I would advise you to take a closer look at Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, Yandex Browser also performed well, but, I repeat once again, this is just my subjective opinion.

If you have any questions, problems with the choice or operation of a particular browser, you are welcome to comment.

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. No 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 that a bunch of geeks use? 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 with the help http requests to the server and receiving data from it, which is processed according to special approved standards and thus a web page is formed.
2) In simpler language Browser- this is the program that you have open at the moment and with the help of which you have the opportunity to now read my article. That is, the browser is a conductor between worldwide network Internet and user. It allows you to access the entire wealth of information available on the Internet.

Now it's clear. We turn on the computer, connect to the Internet, but it is impossible to obtain any data from it without a special program. 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 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.

This was brought to the attention of a well-known Microsoft company. It’s logical, because such a huge piece of the pie practically floated out of their hands. But the situation quickly changed, and in completely the opposite direction, when Microsoft, based on open source code the first graphic browser, Mosaic quickly assembled his own browser - Interner Explorer. They included it in mandatory update for its operating system Windows 95 and it was all over. 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 did quite a lot the right 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 one subsequently appeared Mozilla project Firefox, 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 own free Chromium browser. It uses the WebKit engine to display the resulting web pages. The first publicly available beta version of Chrome for the operating system Microsoft Windows was released on September 2, 2008. A little later, on December 11, 2008, it was released stable version. 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. Part of the Mozilla 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 was about 2.3%. In Russia, the percentage of browser users is much higher than in the rest of the world. So, as of March 2012 Opera together with 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 the operating rooms Mac systems OS X and iOS, of course. Also distributed absolutely free of charge for operating rooms Windows 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!