Browser
Web Browser
Software used to display web pages and web applications on the internet
In Simple Terms
It's the app you use every time you visit a website on your phone or computer. Well-known examples include Safari (built into iPhone), Chrome (from Google), and Edge (on Windows PCs). Without a browser, you simply can't view websites on your screen.
Behind the Name
The name comes from the English verb 'browse,' meaning to skim or look through things casually — like flipping through the pages of a book or magazine. Because this software lets you move from one piece of information to the next across the internet in that same easy, unhurried way, it became known as a 'browser.'
Take a Closer Look!
A browser is software that displays websites and web apps from the internet on your screen. It's the app people use whenever they say they're 'going online.'
A browser's main job is to receive web page data from servers around the world, interpret it, and render it into a readable view. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript sent from a server look like raw text and symbols on their own. The browser reads through that data — recognizing headings, positioning images, calculating layout — and assembles it into the page you see. The core component that handles this work is called the rendering engine.
Beyond displaying pages, browsers have evolved to handle video playback, web apps, and other features that once required dedicated software. They can run JavaScript to animate maps or update a chat feed in real time, enabling experiences that feel like native apps.
Browsers also do a lot in the background to help you: remembering your browsing history, securely storing passwords, and warning you about suspicious sites.
Built around shared rules called web standards, browsers ensure pages display and behave consistently no matter where they come from. Opening a browser is all it takes to access websites and apps from anywhere in the world — making it the 'gateway' between you and the internet.