What are web browsers?

   

                   
         Web browser is a program used to view HTML documents. In other words it is a software application for retrieving, presenting and passing through information resources (web pages, images, videos, discussions....etc ).

         The web browser contact the web server and request information and then the server send information to the web browser. Then the web browser shows the results on the computer screen. So the web browser act as a client between the server and the computer.

 
               As an example the web browser is like a worker in a fuel station. We go an ask for fuel (information) from him (web browser). Then he goes to the fuel pump (server) and gives the information [how many liters]. Then he pull and push the hose into the  the fuel tank and fill the fuel tank (send information) of the car (computer). After that we are on our way (show the results).

          The first web browser was invented by Sir Tim Berners- Lee and it named as WorldWideWeb (later named as Nexus).

Then a lot of web browsers had been released since February 26, 1991 as shown below.

• Mosaic                                                    in 1993

• Netscape Navigator & Communicator    in 1994

• Internet Explorer 1                                  in 1995

• Opera                                                      in 1996

• Mozilla Navigator                                    in June 5, 2002

• Safari                                                      in January 7, 2003

• Mozilla Firefox                                        in November 9, 2004

• Google Chrome                                      in September 2, 2008

Following web browsers are the most popular web browsers nowadays (latest versions).

 Google Chrome (19.0.1084.56)

                      [for Linux, Mac and Windows]                     

   Internet Explorer (9.0.2)                        

                [for Windows only]

    MozillaFirefox(13.0)
                          [for Linux, Mac and Windows]

  These browsers have these user interface elements like,

• Back and forward buttons
• A refresh( /reload ) button
• A stop button to stop reloading(or merged with reload button)
• A home button
• An address bar
• A search bar
• A status bar

Here are some other web browsers.

  Opera                       Safari                Deepnet Explorer

                                              

                                                      Avant Browser

    Maxthon                   Rockmelt                        SeaMonkey

Now let's have a look at the usage share of web browsers from 2009 to present.

      The usage share of a web browser means the percentage of visitors to a group of websites that use a  particular web browser.Let's take an example like this; if Firefox has 30% of usage share , it means that some versions of it is used by 30% of visitors visit the given set of sites.