View source for Web browser

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A web browser is a software application that finds and retrieves information resources on the [[web|World Wide Web]], and displays the retrieved information on the user's computer screen.

==The browser finds the information source==
The browser's first task is to find and retrieve the desired information resource. The location of each information resource on the [[web]] is indicated by an address, called a [[Uniform Resource Locator]] (URL). When the URL is entered into the browser's [[address bar]], the browser sends a request to the [[website]]. The request is processed and answered by the [[web server]] running the website, which sends a copy of the corresponding information resource (such as a [[web page]]) back to the browser.

The retrieved information resource may be a [[web page]], an image, an audio or video file, a document (such as in [[Word]] or [[PDF]] format) or any other identified piece of content on a [[website]]. The basic principle of the [[web]] is that each resource has its own unique address: its [[Uniform Resource Locator|URL]].

In addition to accessing resources on the [[web|World Wide Web]], web browsers can also retrieve and read any information sources in [[HTML]] format, even when disconnected from the web. The web browser can thus read HTML files stored on the user's own computer, or on a server in a [[private network]].

==The browser displays the retrieved information==
The web browser reads the accessed information source, usually written in [[HTML|HyperText Markup Language]] (HTML), and prepares it for presentation on the user's computer. The information may be presented in visual form for viewing on the user's screen (text or images), in audio format for listening through speakers or headsets, or in mixed visual and audio format (videos, interactive games).

==Navigation via hyperlinks==
Information resources on the web typically contain [[hyperlink]]s pointing to related resources. Clicking on the hyperlink will redirect the web browser to the related resource, thus allowing users to "navigate" from link to link. Browsers generally include a back-arrow allowing navigation back to previously-read pages.

==Browser windows and tabs==
Early browsers could only open one information resource or webpage at a time. More recent browsers can open several resources at a time, either in separate [[window]]s, or in separate [[tab]]s within the same window.

==Bookmarks (Favorites)==
Web browsers typically allow the user to save bookmarks. A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookmark_(World_Wide_Web) bookmark] (called "favorite" in Internet Explorer) is a webpage address (or [[URL]]) that is stored in the browser for easy access later. Bookmarks are normally created or accessed through a menu in the web browser, and may be organized into folders. (There are also many websites that offer web-based bookmark management, including social bookmarking websites.)

==Major web browsers==
The major web browsers, and the groups that created them are:
*[[Internet Explorer]], created by [[Microsoft]]
*[[Firefox]], created by [[Mozilla]]
*[[Safari]], created by [[Apple]]
*[[Chrome]], created by [[Google]]
*[[Opera]]

==External Links==
*Wikipedia article about web browsers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser

[[Category:Web browsers]]
[[Category:Webuser tools]]
[[Category:Draft]]