Web browsers
A web browser is software that allows us to see the web pages that we are accessing. There are a number of different web browsers, such as:
- Microsoft Edge
- Mozilla Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Safari
Some have mobile browsers too and Internet Explorer is an older version of what is now known as Microsoft Edge.
A web browser downloads pages from a web server and then interprets the code to run the different HTML, JavaScript and CSS commands used to generate the page. The end result is what we see in the browser window.
Some of the key features of web browser software include:
Operating System compatibility
Browsers are developed for specific operating systems. Some browsers may only be created with one particular type of operating system in mind while others are compatible with many different operating systems. For example, Mozilla Firefox is compatible with windows, android and iOS mobile devices, whereas Microsoft Edge is not compatible with iOS or android operating systems.
It is also important to know about some common features of web browser software.
Page Zooming
Page zooming allows users to zoom in on the content of a webpage. On desktop and laptop systems users can use a scroll bar to either zoom in or zoom out or use the Ctrl key with their mouse wheel.
On touchscreen devices, users can zoom in or out by using their fingers to either pull out or pull in, using a pinching motion to zoom in or out on content.
History and Private Browsing mode
A history of websites visited is another feature of browser software. This lets you find content you viewed earlier in a browsing session. Most browsers also feature a private browsing or incognito mode where you can browse without keeping a search history.
Ad-Filtering
Some browsers have built in software that will allows users to block advertising from appearing during browsing sessions. Users can specify the level of filtering that takes place. Ad-filtering often targets intrusive ads - these are ads that appear as overlays on multimedia such as videos.
There are also lots of ad-filtering extensions that can be downloaded and added to browser software that does not have ad-filtering built in.