Not all of my readers are computer experts, which is why I would like to intersperse posts with computer basics for beginners here and there. Today it's about the term "Brower", which I would like to explain here for computer laypeople.
A browser is software that allows you to view and navigate the World Wide Web. The English word is pronounced like “Brauser”. Translated, "to browse" means something like "rummaging around" - and that's exactly what you do with a browser on the Internet.
A browser is free software that allows you to view and navigate the World Wide Web. Browsers exist on computers, smartphones and tablets.
There are various browsers for using the Internet, some of which are programmed by hardware manufacturers such as Google or Apple, but some are also based on open source projects or are programmed by independent developers.
Most of the time, a single browser is pre-installed on your computer, tablet or smartphone. The Safari browser is usually pre-installed on Apple devices such as Mac, iPhone or iPad. You can also switch browsers if you want. Many different browsers can be downloaded free of charge from the Internet.
Chapter in this post:
What is a default browser?
The standard browser is the browser that is factory-installed on the computer, tablet or smartphone. For Apple devices this is the Safari browser, for Windows PCs it is Microsoft Edge and for Android devices it is usually Google Chrome.
What does a browser do?
If you type in an Internet address – also known as a URL – in the address line of the browser, the browser sends this request to the Internet and the responsible server sends back the program code and the individual graphics of a website.
So what the browser receives from the Internet is far from being the pretty website that you ultimately see. Only the browser then puts together the finished website from the code and the graphics and displays things like forms, search fields or the like.
Would you like to see what the HTML code of this page looks like here? Then simply right-click (if you're at a computer) on an empty spot on the page here and select "View Page Source". It then looks something like this:
And from this, the browser creates a pleasantly readable page.
Alternative browsers for Windows and Apple computers
In addition to the Safari browser, which can be found on Apple computers such as iMac, MacBook Pro or tablets such as the iPad, there are numerous other browsers that can be used.
Well-known browsers are these:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (will no longer be developed)
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Opera
Browsers that protect privacy
There are different approaches to browsers. Google Chrome, for example, is known for diligently collecting user data while browsing.
However, there are also some other browsers that protect the privacy of users and do not track. These include the following:
- Firefox → is developed by a non-profit organization and volunteers
- Safari → Apple protects user data with anti-tracking functions
- gate project → uses multiple proxies and thus prevents tracking
- Double → Open source browser with tracking protection
If you have more questions about browsers, we're here to help. Just use the comment function to ask your question.
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Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He acts as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with technical problems. In his spare time he rides electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with the iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions to current bugs.