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.

It is worth noting that an unlimited number of browsers can be installed on a computer, and one of them must be the main one - the default browser. The default browser is the browser that is set as the main one in the operating system, through which all links and services that you switch to from other programs will open.

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 the 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.