), in which he shared the results of his personal research on this issue. And, after that, in communication with one of my acquaintances, I discovered that not all people know what a browser is. So I decided to make an article and tell in more detail about the following:
What is a browser for?
To begin with, all the files we come across represent a specific code consisting of ones and zeros. And, in order for the information encrypted in this code to be used, a program is needed that will decrypt this code.
Each type of file uses its own code and, accordingly, needs its own program. For example, it works with archives, the program works with an image.
The browser is also a program that works with certain types of files. These are web page files created in htm, html, php and other formats.
To understand better, do an experiment. Open any site, right-click on the screen and select "page source code" from the drop-down menu.
You will see an interesting thing - hundreds of lines in the form of incomprehensible commands and operators, recognizable fragments of human text will flicker between them. This is how the computer sees our sites, but people are not able to perceive such a format for presenting information - we need a "translation".
This translation is done by a web browser, it reads all commands and operators and, depending on their meaning, breaks the text into paragraphs, changes the size and position of pictures, highlights links, overlays a background and plays a video.
The next time you hear a question about the browser, you can safely say - this is a translator from the language of web pages to human.
Most popular browsers
Despite the huge variety of Internet browsers (their number is measured in hundreds), less than a dozen have been in real popularity for many years. All the rest are of little interest to anyone.
Internet Explorer Is both the most widespread and most criticized browser. The secret of its popularity lies in the fact that it is installed by default on any computer running Windows. But, among advanced users, it is believed that only amateurs use it. The reason is its low speed and poor functionality. Despite the fact that it is constantly being updated, and the latest modifications look quite tolerable, the prejudice about its low quality will remain for a long time.
- is one of the popular browsers due to its good speed, user-friendly interface, flexible configuration and a huge number of add-ons. It has been on the market for a very long time and gained credibility from the very first versions.
Google chrome- of the four leaders, this is the youngest representative. It was developed by Google and, immediately after its appearance, conquered many people with its high speed of work. Its speed is achieved through a minimalistic interface. There is nothing superfluous in the browser - only the most necessary + what you add yourself (the choice of add-ons is also very large).
Opera- unlike Chrome, it got its fame not for its speed, but for its high functionality and convenience, although its speed is at its best. When other browsers required the installation of add-ons for any tasks, Opera was bypassed with the basic version. Now this feature has become less relevant, since all browsers have the most popular functions out of the box.
Yandex browser- the most popular among the fresh programs in this area. It was created by Yandex based on Chrome. I still cannot say something very positive about it, the functionality and settings are similar to its progenitor, but in terms of speed it is inferior to the brainchild of Google. Perhaps, over time, it will still show itself, since Yandex took up this promotion very actively.
Which browser should you choose?
The choice of browsers is large, but they all have the same principle - they have a base of commands that they are able to understand and transform into a human species.
In general, this base is the same and coincides with international standards. But, as the Internet develops, new functions and capabilities appear, older versions may not understand everything that is now. Therefore, some sites may look slightly different in different browsers.
Modern browsers are not only designed for displaying sites, they can perform a lot of additional functions. Weather, traffic jams, exchange rates and much more can be turned on and off using add-ons and plugins. All this adds a little bit of comfort to our internet surfing.
Now for the choice. My observations have shown that the difference in speed between the most popular browsers is small. Therefore, the whole choice comes down to the choice of design and convenience for a particular user. Someone will feel comfortable with the Firefox menu, someone strives for the minimalistic design of Google Chrome, someone will be attracted by the beauty of Opera - any modern browser will serve faithfully to its owner.
Over the years of their development, all developers have taken the best from competitors, so now, browsers have become more similar to each other.
What is the default browser
Several browsers can be installed on the computer at the same time and all of them will work properly, even if you launch them at the same time. But, there is one point. When you click on a link outside the browser (through any third-party program) or if you open an HTML file saved on your computer, your operating system must determine which of the browsers the page should open - it cannot open simultaneously in all programs - it is determined this is the default browser setting.
The default browser is a program that is designated as the main one among other web browsers, all Internet files are opened through it, unless the use of another is manually specified.
Usually, every time a new browser is installed, it offers to make itself the default program. Later, you can change the setting through the “Start” menu -> “Control Panel” -> “Programs” -> “Default programs” -> “Set default programs” and there, in the list, select the web browser that you want to make the main one.
How do I open blocked sites?
I could not help but mention one trick that deserves attention and can help many solve the problem with access to blocked sites.
The Opera browser has a special function "Turbo", it is designed for faster loading of sites on a slow Internet, but this mode has one more useful property. To speed up loading, the browser downloads pages not directly from the hosting site, but through its own proxy servers, on which the data is precompressed.
Such downloading of data, through an intermediary, allows you to view even those sites to which access is directly closed. For example, "Rospotrebnadzor", as part of the fight against piracy, closes some sites - all browsers with normal modes do not allow them to open, and the "turbo" mode in Opera allows you to use them as if nothing had happened.
That's all for today - good luck!
Useful articles:
How to create a website yourself for free - step by step ...
How To Make Money Online For A Newbie - 23 ...
For those who continue to comprehend the Internet and what is connected with it - today we will tell you about what a browser is, what it is for, and also we will conduct a small analysis of the most popular Internet browsers today.
What is a browser and what functions does it perform
Browser (WEB-browser) is a program that provides viewing of Internet sites on computer devices and gadgets. The essence of the browser is to process the user's request and load the requested site .. Now let's take a quick look at what functions the browser performs.As mentioned above, the main function of the browser is to open the web pages of the sites. Themselves as web pages consist of code, which actually receives the browser from the server on which the site is located. The browser processes this code, and you see the "finished picture" on your monitor. In order to see what the site really is - right-click, for example, somewhere in the side of the site and select the item in the appeared context menu "View source code" (or "Source code of the page", or similar). Correct source code is very important for the browser, since adequate display of the site pages and the performance of its functions depend on it.
Browsers allow you to save your passwords from sites, so that every time you access your account on a particular resource, you do not need 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 desired site you previously visited. Well, and the last thing worth noting from the main functionality of the browser is the ability to store sites in bookmarks for memorization 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.
The vast majority of modern browsers support various add-ons. These add-ons may include: extensions to browser functions, informers from various resources, as well as add-ons in the form of visual themes for the browser itself. Let's consider them in more detail:
- Extensions... Prominent examples of browser extensions are extensions from antivirus programs: anti-banner and link checking module, which protect users from intrusive ads, as well as check dangerous links and sites.
- Informers... The informers are also made as extensions. As the name implies, informers inform. The most popular informers are weather informers, informers about the arrival of new mail, messages, etc.
- Visual themes... Visual themes allow you to change the design of your browser: tabs, buttons, background images, and other elements.
Now let's take a 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 take a look at the top five browsers that are used by the majority of Internet users.
Internet Explorer Browser
Internet Explorer is the standard browser that comes with the Windows operating system. That is, you will immediately be able to access the Internet through Internet Explorer. We named Internet Explorer the first, not because it is the most popular or the best, but because initially everyone uses it, at least to download another browser. By the way, there is a joke on many computer Internet 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 can imagine, this joke appeared for a reason. The fact is that Internet Explorer (IE), in our opinion, is not the best browser option. 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 itself opens the web pages incorrectly, as they say in the common people - "crooked". In addition, Internet Explorer is a very non-functional 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 support for plugin integration 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 on 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 it has won a large army of fans over the years of its existence.
Probably the very first advantage of this browser is its "lightness", which lies in the fast operation of both the program itself and in the fast opening of site pages. This WEB-browser is well thought out, therefore it is very easy to use. A large number of functions are also the strong point of the Google Chrome browser. Let's take a closer look at the functional features of Chrome.
In our opinion, the most important functional advantage of Google Chrome is the synchronization of passwords and bookmarks in the browser with the Google server, thanks to which, by entering your username and password, you will get 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 so difficult to reinstall it, as it is difficult to remember all your visited sites and passwords to them. And with Chrome, all you need to do is log into Google, and all your bookmarks and passwords will be restored. Also, of the functional features of Chrome, it is worth noting the ability to install extensions and change the design style, of which there are a large number in the Chrome Web Store, and for free. Well, and the last thing to mention is a smart address bar, that is, in the address bar (in the field where you enter the site address), you can also enter search queries - this is universal and convenient.
In order to download the Chrome browser on your computer - go to the address: "google.com/intl/ru/chrome".
Mozilla Firefox Browser
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 oldest web browsers. Mozilla Firefox is used mainly by webmasters and advanced users, thanks to its correct and correct display of site pages.
Of the functional features of Mazila (English Mozilla), it is worth highlighting the presence of a huge number of plugins (extensions), the number of which largely exceeds the range of extensions in Chrome. In addition, Mazil Firefox has the ability to change the visual style of the browser, which should also be attributed to the advantages.
Despite all this, Mozilla Firefox is a fairly heavy browser. It, in comparison with other browsers, takes a little longer to start, and also sometimes freezes and slows down, even on a fairly powerful computer. If we compare Mozilla Firefox with the aforementioned Chrome, then the disadvantage of the former 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.
You can download the Mozilla Firefox browser from the official website of the browser: "mozilla-russia.org".
Opera browser
The Opera browser is an aksakal among browsers that has existed for almost 20 years. Opera browser is quite light and convenient. Of the functional features, support for widgets and plugins can be distinguished, but they have not received widespread use. 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 with limited 3G Internet tariffs.
Analyzing the Opera browser, one cannot say something bad about it, but it is also difficult to single out something good. In our opinion, the Opera lacks a certain charisma that would distinguish it from the above browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
You can download the Opera browser from its main page: "opera.com/ru".
And, finally, it should be said 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 last in importance. Although the first one mentioned is Internet Explorer, it is far from the leader, and perhaps even an outsider on our list of top browsers.
As for the Yandex browser, this is the youngest browser developed by Yandex. This browser has been around for only about a year, but despite its novelty, it quickly conquers 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 “own”, since it is the same Chrome, with a slightly redesigned design and with some additionally implemented functions. One of these additional features is the Turbo function, which was borrowed from the Opera browser. Let's analyze Yandex Browser in more detail.
Yandex's browser is made on the same engine as Chrome, so they have a similar appearance and similar functionality. In new versions of Yandex Browser, you can now 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 to download add-ons. It is worth noting that it is possible to set a background image, but, unfortunately, there is no possibility to change the background of the navigation bar in the browser. But there is a convenient "Scoreboard" - a panel with icons of sites for their quick opening, 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 the desired search engine below.
Summing up, we can say with confidence that Yandex Browser is the same Chrome, but more focused on Russian-speaking users living in the CIS. If you decide to remove Yandex Browser, then.
To download a browser from Yandex, go to its official page: "browser.yandex.ru".
Which browser should you choose?
To give an unambiguous and categorical answer to the question: which browser to choose will be wrong. Each browser has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as its own characteristics, so for each user "his" browser is the best. For example, someone prefers the Chrome browser for its simplicity, the integration of passwords and bookmarks with Google, and someone - Mozilla Firefox for its huge number of different add-ons. Despite the fact that browsers are all the same in structure, they have their own visual differences, which make them significantly different from each other. In order to determine which browser to choose, and which one is best for you, you need to try them all to make this decision for yourself.People who are just getting started with the vast world of the Internet recognize many unfamiliar expressions and words, and perhaps the most important of them is the Browser. What does Browser mean? I recommend reading a few more popular articles, for example, how to understand the word Carte Blanche, what is the Establishment, what does Iskander mean? This term was borrowed from the English language " Browser", and means" a program that allows you to receive information from the Internet". Usually beginners are trying to figure out which browser is the best, and in general, along the way, a lot of questions arise, the answers to which we will try to give in this short article.
I'm not going to tell you about rare browsers that geeks and coders mainly use, let's talk about the most popular and fast ones.
Browser(Web browser) is a special program whose sole purpose is to browse websites
The browser executes " http"a request to a remote server, and receives information from it, which is then processed and presented to the user in an already structured form, very convenient for human perception.
In simple words, the browser is the program with which you are now reading these lines, in fact browser, it is an intermediary between the world wide web and man. It is this small application that provides users with access to this global network.
I hope you understand what this is about? Do you turn on your computer or smartphone, and in order to get the information you need, launch the program (browser). Then a window opens that allows you to get into this huge and hidden world of the Internet.
Which browser is the best?
Next, I will tell you my top best browsers on the Internet.Google chrome is the fastest browser created by Google and is based on the Chromium browser. Powered by the smart Webkit engine. In my opinion, this is the best program to date, but it has some drawbacks, one of which is the lack of familiar Firefox add-ons.
Mozilla Firefox is a completely free program developed by Mozilla Corporation, in my opinion, an almost ideal browser with a lot of all sorts of add-ons, but inferior in speed to Google Ghrome.
Internet Explorer is a buggy and inadequate browser, its popularity is explained by the fact that it is preinstalled in Windows by default. Slow and cumbersome, my verdict is in the firebox.
Opera- this is a browser that has died in the Bose, but the Norwegian developers hurried up in time and moved the platform to a new engine that uses the same Google Ghrome. Therefore, if you hate Google for their espionage cases, and the fact that they constantly monitor your every move on the Internet, then Opera is an excellent choice. Moreover, there is encryption there, which will save your data from bad people.
Apple Safari- This browser is the brainchild of Apple, and is included by default in operating systems such as IOS and Mac OS X, respectively. Also, its own version of the Safari browser was created for Windows. What can I say about this program? It works, not very buggy, so it has a right to exist.
So, from the above, we can conclude that the best browser is Google Chrome, but without a doubt, Firefox should also be installed on your computer, all the others are not needed, and you should not use them, because there is no need.
While the overwhelming majority of older people are only superficially familiar with the Internet, for the younger generation, daily “surfing the web” is as much an integral part of the procedure as brushing your teeth or eating. However, even among those who log on to the Internet on a daily basis, few know what he is and what capabilities he has. Therefore, let's figure it out.
What is a browser and what is it for
A browser is software that allows you to query and display the content of websites, manage virtual applications, download files from your computer, and perform many other tasks. The functionality of web browsers is constantly growing, which is facilitated by healthy competition between developers and the active introduction of information systems and technologies in various fields of activity. Most of the browsers are distributed free of charge, but some of them on a regular basis offer the user to make a voluntary donation for their development.
Browser history and a brief overview of modern products
The first web browser was released in 1990 and was named WorldWideWeb (later renamed Nexus). The author of the project was the famous London inventor Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee, whose contribution to the development of information technology can hardly be overestimated. The world's first browser is based on the NeXTSTEP platform, which is also used in the development of Mac OS X.
However, due to the fact that the browser code for a long time (until 1993) remained closed, the first browser released to the general public is considered to be NCSA Mosaic. It was he who served as the basis for Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, and it was with him that the legendary "browser war" began.
Unlike Netscape, Microsoft distributed its product almost from the beginning for free, which allowed it to monopolize the market by 1999, taking over 95% of its volume. For users, this turned out that many sites and web documents were optimized for one particular browser (IE) and did not open in others. The developer himself, having felt the advantage, stopped paying due attention to the development of his product. This is what Netscape took advantage of. Leaving the market, she released the source code for her web browser under the MLP license, thereby stabbing Microsoft in the back and initiating many modern projects, including:
Google chrome
Today, Chrome is used daily by over 300 million users, which automatically makes it the most popular browser in the world. Based on Chromium and Blink, it is suitable for both casual and advanced PC users. The strengths of the browser include:
- Security, which is expressed in the presence of a blacklist of phishing sites and resources containing malware, a personal task manager, etc.
- Speed. Thanks to its DNS lookahead and powerful V8 JavaScript engine, Chrome has one of the best page load speeds.
- Stability. Chrome is built on multiprocessing principles, so that a problem with one tab does not affect the functioning of the others.
From the disadvantages of the project, users single out a large number of options for collecting information about the client's web surfing and an artificially limited choice of parameters during installation. They are also not satisfied with the fact that the current version of the browser can be installed on a mobile device only if the latter has access to the Internet. Chrome has standalone downloaders, but they are not presented on the main page of the project.
Mozilla Firefox
This browser runs on the Gecko engine (which has been gradually replaced by the next generation Quantum engine since version 57.0) and is the second most popular free software in the world. Officially released for Windows, Android, macOS, and GNU. In Linux distributions, it is included in the preinstalled files. The web browser is being developed by the Mozilla corporation, which originally named its project Phoenix, but then (due to trademark conflicts) had to rename it first to Firebird, and then to Firefox.
While the project was marketed at one time as a legacy of Netscape, this is not entirely true. After the company's defeat in the "browser war", its code was written from scratch. This allowed the developers to make the product more flexible and responsive to the needs of users, as well as provide functionality that is not available to other web browsers.
The advantages of Firefox include:
- Regular updates.
- Prompt elimination of detected vulnerabilities.
- The ability to manage cookies.
- Features relevant to the advanced user (including the "Incognito" mode and flexible graphics loading system).
- Support for W3C standards.
- Large selection of extensions and add-ons.
- Pop-up blocker.
Among the shortcomings, users highlight Firefox's close collaboration with Google and Adobe. For them, a "live" Google search in the address bar and support for DRM plugins looks like an imposition of services, which is unacceptable for open source software.
Opera
Opera is one of the few browsers that has been ported to many operating systems. It is compatible with various builds of Windows, OS X, Linux, as well as mobile operating systems: Android, Windows Mobile, iOS, Symbian OS and MeeGo. One of Opera's greatest strengths is JavaScript. Its loading speed is about 2 times faster than that of other browsers.
Developers pay special attention to network security. So, for encryption when the user visits protected pages, the SSL 3 and TLS protocols are used, which are known for their high reliability. The database of saved passwords is encrypted using the 3DES algorithm, cutting off access to them for those who do not have an encryption key. Also in the latest releases, mechanisms were presented to combat hidden mining, which is especially important against the background of the growing interest in cryptocurrencies.
Among the disadvantages of Opera, users point out:
- Cumbersome, not very user-friendly interface.
- Closed code that prevents third-party developers from finding vulnerabilities in the product and quickly fixing them.
- The transition to the WebKit engine, which increases its developer's market share and may well contribute to the beginning of a new "browser war".
In addition to the browser installed on the device, Opera offers its customers the so-called [email protected]- a program that works directly from removable media. In fact, this allows you to have all your settings, bookmarks, chat logs and other data close at hand, wherever you are.
Safari
This web browser is a kind of Internet Explorer alternative for all Apple electronic products. Developed with the free WebKit engine code, it has been included with iOS and macOS for many years. Starting with version 3.0, Windows support was introduced. However, it ended with version 5.1.7. For other operating systems, Safari has never been officially released.
The strengths of the browser include:
- Recognition of non-standard fonts used by sites and their download.
- Support for different encryption protocols.
- Private Browsing is an alternative to the "Incognito" mode.
- Integration of QuickTime multimedia technologies.
In Europe, Apple products each year take an increasing share of the market, and therefore the number of Safari users is steadily growing. In the second half of 2017, the browser took the second position in the popularity ranking. In Russia, however, he has not yet been able to achieve such success. Here, the observer has so far been able to climb only 4 lines.
Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge
Speaking of web browsers, it would be a mistake not to mention Internet Explorer (for Windows 10 - Microsoft Edge), which has become a stable provider of local memes for the Internet community today. Having once won the "browser war", the developers were superficial about updating and protecting their product, which is why, after a couple of years, the progressive community practically abandoned it, preferring more convenient and functional Firefox and Google Chrome.
Faced with the harsh reality, Microsoft was forced to rethink its priorities, and starting with version 9, the browser began to fully support the SVG and CSS3 standards. Moreover, today the company's developers work closely with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and are actively involved in the creation of its standards. Some of the implemented developments include Pointer events, which allows you to determine the type of user interaction with the device.
However, none of these steps, or the rebranding and name change from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge, helped to completely restore the browser's reputation. Most users still see IE as slow and poorly secured. This is confirmed by the fact that the observer is used mainly by employees of state institutions, to whom it is imposed despite the available alternatives.
What are the criteria for evaluating browsers
The software market offers dozens of free or shareware web browsers, the abundance of which makes an inexperienced user dizzy. It is not easy to choose the best among them, because some are not safe enough, others drag any software "rubbish" into the system, others are not optimized and often "hang up" the system. Therefore, if you cannot boast of knowledge of modern standards, we suggest that you be guided by the following criteria when choosing a browser:
Standards support
Almost all modern browsers position themselves as an independent innovative product. However, in reality, most of them are just another variation based on the now popular Chromium. There is nothing criminal in this, since the engine code is open source. Here are just some web browsers, ostensibly at the stage of active development, for some reason use solutions from 2015 or even 2012 (which are hopelessly outdated today). Why this indicator is critical, the user will learn from personal experience when he tries to install an application, and as a result he will see the following message:
And if the browser is also not friendly with modern standards (for example, with the network protocol HTTP / 2), you can forget about fast page loading, prioritizing requests, support for push notifications and many other functions and capabilities.
Want to check your web browser is up to date? To do this, just find out its version and the line User Agent. Information on the first item can be found in the "Help" - "About the program" section, on the second - using numerous online services.
Safety
A vulnerability can be found in almost any program. However, not every developer can eliminate it, and even do it quickly. Therefore, to assess the security of a web browser, several indicators should be taken into account at once, such as:
- Exposure to vulnerabilities.
- Regularity of security updates.
- The number of vulnerabilities that have been fixed since the release of this version.
Obviously, the most popular browsers, such as Chrome or Mozilla, will have an order of magnitude more problems than the same Safari or Yandex Browser. This is due precisely to their popularity, because the actions of hackers are most often aimed at a mass audience. It is simply not interesting and not profitable for “evil geniuses” to search for vulnerabilities in unclaimed software.
Functionality
For the largest web browsers, this point is not particularly relevant. As soon as one developer introduces a new function into his browser, another almost immediately presents the same or a similar analogue. A striking example of this is the "Incognito" mode, which first appeared in Google Chrome, and then was implemented in Firefox.
However, if you are using a lesser-known product, its functionality may be severely curtailed or modified in comparison to the “giants” of the industry. For example, some add-ons (blocking ads, allowing you to bypass blocking, etc.) are simply not installed on them. Somewhere video calls, live search or sync mode are not supported. However, the greatest concern among users is caused by the national search engine "Sputnik", for which a unique search engine is being developed, which gives information from only a limited number of sites.
User friendliness
This indicator is one of the key arguments in the ongoing debate about "the best browser". Evaluation criteria here are different for everyone. For some, it is enough for the browser to simply work, for others it is critically important to be able to adapt the interface for themselves, and still others put the download speed and RAM consumption above all. However, several generalized parameters can be distinguished. So, a good browser:
- Does not drag unnecessary "garbage" into the system in the form of applications and extensions that the user will not use. A vivid example of this is "Amigo" from mail.ru, which, if the user just loses their vigilance, installs "Mail.ru Agent" on the computer.
- It does not "freeze" the system, taking away the lion's share of RAM with 1-2 open tabs, which Google and Firefox have been "sinning" lately.
- Has an intuitive interface and in the matter of settings gives the user maximum freedom, which certainly does not apply to "Opera" and IE.
Browser Basics
However, for successful web surfing, the "best" browser alone will not be enough. Advanced features and handy add-ons make no sense if you don't know how to work with them properly. Therefore, we will consider the main features of browsers that everyone should be able to use.
Navigation
Although the interface of different browsers looks different, they all have common elements, including:
- Address bar - the place where the website address is registered, as well as a quick search is carried out (if the browser saves the browsing history).
- Search - a rectangular window with a magnifying glass icon that allows you to quickly use the search for Google, Yandex and other search engines without going directly to their pages.
- Buttons "Forward", "Back" - help to navigate between several pages viewed in one tab.
- "Refresh" - by pressing this button you reload the page if it takes a long time to load or suddenly stops working.
Tabs and windows
Moving between pages (especially if there are more than 2) using the "Forward" and "Back" buttons is not always convenient. Therefore, more often users prefer to open new pages in new tabs. All tabs are located within one window, and therefore switching between them takes place in one click.
Good to know:
- To add a new tab, just click on the "+" sign on the tab bar,
- To close the extra ones - use the mouse wheel on the tab itself.
- If you accidentally close the tab that you need, right-click on the tab bar and select "Restore Closed Tab" from the drop-down menu.
- If you need to compare two pages, open them in different windows. To do this, select the "New Window" item in the browser menu.
Downloading files and photos
Downloading multimedia, software, text and other files to a computer is one of the most demanded functions of modern browsers. To save an image, just right-click on it, select the "Save As" item and specify the desired file name and save path in the window that appears. For files, this process is often easier. After you click on "Download", "Download" or another button with a similar name, the file will be added to the download folder on your computer. To find out its location, go to your browser settings and look for the "Save path for files" item or a similar wording.
However, do not forget that files saved from the Internet often contain malicious codes and other dangers. Therefore, never settle for a ride if:
- Not sure about the reliability of the resource.
- To download, you are offered to send an SMS to some number.
- To start downloading, you need to install a third-party plugin or program.
Plugins and extensions
Working with any program, the user always seeks to customize it "for himself." And browsers are no exception. In an effort to make web surfing more comfortable, browser developers have created their own online stores, where anyone can display their application. Here you can find browser themes, ad blockers, block bypass services, systems for downloading from YouTube, VKontakte and other media resources in one click, and much more. The product will be distributed for free or paid, depending only on its author.
Where to look for the list of plugins available for installation depends on which browser you are using. So, in Firefox it is enough to hold down the key combination "Ctrl + Shift + A" (which corresponds to the transition: "Tools" - "Add-ons"). And in Google, you need to open the menu bar (a vertical row of three dots), select the "Additional tools" item in the drop-down table, and then "Extensions". Or open the Google app store by going to: "Settings" - "Advanced" - "Accessibility" one by one.
Browsing history
Found an interesting resource a few days ago, but forgot to bookmark it? It doesn't matter, the browser (unless otherwise specified in the settings) stores the entire history of your web surfing for the last few months. It also implements a convenient search system, which means that if you remember the approximate date of viewing or (at least partially) the name of the page, it will not be difficult to find it. This service can be named differently in different browsers, but the essence always comes down to "history" or "view log".
Bookmarks
There is more and more information on the network every day. When there are only 2 or 3 sites of interest to you, it may be convenient to store their addresses in memory or on paper. But what to do when the number of important pages exceeds a hundred? That's right, mark them with "bookmarks". This function is now implemented in all mainstream browsers.
Click on the special icon (most often resembling an asterisk), which is either in the address bar itself or directly next to it. The browser will prompt you to add the page to the list of bookmarks and assign a name by which it will be easy to find later. If the list is too long, group sites into sites into folders that you also create yourself.
Why you need to update your browser
To an advanced user, such a question will seem strange. However, many newbies seriously do not understand why to update it.
Complain about content
Copyright infringement Spam Inappropriate content Broken links
