Web browsers, the focus of this guide, are software programs used to locate, access, and display web pages on a computer screen.
The primary means by which a user accesses the Internet is through a web browser usually referred to simply as a browser.
It is common among non-technical people to confuse a browser with a search engine or thinking of them as one and the same. The difference between a web browser and a search engine is that a browser is software installed on your computer used to display web pages, while a search engine is a website that you use within a browser to perform searches.
Browsers are software installed on your computer or mobile device that are used to display the text, images, and other content from websites. Most computers come with one or more browsers installed, but you can install others. In most cases, a computer will come with a preinstalled operating system (OS), and each OS is associated with a default web browser, which is installed along with the operating system.
For example, Apple computers will come with macOS or the latest version of the Mac operating system, and the default browser will be Safari. However, several other browsers are designed to be compatible with macOS, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, and they can be installed as well, and even assigned default status.
The Microsoft Edge browser is preinstalled with Windows 10, and Midori is the default browser for many implementations of the Linux OS.
However, several popular browsers are not associated with any particular operating system. Although the Chrome browser is the default browser only for Chromebook, which has a very small share of the computer market, it is by far the most popular browser, with nearly seventy percent of the global market using Chrome in October 2019. The next most popular browser is Firefox, although it is the default browser only in some implementations of Linux.
The browser market share isn't an accurate reflection of a browser's popularity, however. A large percentage of computer users never try a browser other than the default browser for their system, and many of them are unaware that there are other choices. There is also the fact that some browsers have versions for nearly every operating system, while others are OS-specific. Safari, for example, is widely popular with Mac users, but the browser is currently only compatible with Apple products.
Microsoft Edge, originally developed solely for the Windows 10 operating system, now has versions for the Xbox One, Android, iOS, and macOS, yet it enjoys a fairly small portion of the browser marketplace. Although Microsoft Windows has a huge portion of the OS marketplace, Windows users seem resistant to Microsoft Edge, a large portion of them replacing Edge with Chrome or Firefox as their default browser.
Although market shares tend to be fairly consistent from month to month, they can change from year to year, and swing widely between decades.
The first web browser was also the first WYSIWYG HTML editor. It was called WorldWideWeb. Created in 1991, it was discontinued in 1994. The second browser ever created is considered to be still active, although I think it's fair to say that few people have ever heard of the Line Mode Browser. First released in 1991, its last stable release was in December of 2013.
Dominating a large share of the marketplace in the mid-to-late 1990s, Netscape introduced several innovations to browser technology, and was compatible with most popular operating systems. In the end, it was beat out by Microsoft Internet Explorer (MIE) and was discontinued in 2007. Interestingly, MIE was itself supplanted by its developer, when Microsoft replaced it with Microsoft Edge for its Windows 10 systems. Although Edge still has a lower share of the market than MIE, its use is in decline and new versions will not be developed.
Whatever the browser, the focus of this guide is on web browsers.
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Browser Engines |
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Also known as the 360 Security Browser or the 360 Safe Browser, the browser was developed by the Qihoo Company in Beijing, China. By default, the browser renders webpages using the WebKit-based engine adapted for Google Chrome and Blink, and when running in compatibility mode, it renders pages using the Trident engine. In 2011, it was the most popular browser in China after Internet Explorer. Recent versions do not offer a distinguishable user-agent string but spoofs itself as another browser.
https://browser.360.cn/se/en.html
Originally known as SafeZone, the Avast Secure Browser is also known as the AVG Secure Browser. Developed by the cybersecurity company, Avast, the browser promises a focus on Internet security and privacy. Based on Chromium, the browser was initially bundled with paid versions of its antivirus program but now bundles it with its free version as well. Currently available only for the Windows platform, development is underway for a macOS version, as well.
https://www.avast.com/secure-browser
Developed by Brave Software in 2015, and based on the Chromium web browser, Brave is a free and open-source (MPL, GPLv3, GPLv2) browser that works in Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS systems. The current version features five search engines by default, including its partner, DuckDuckGo, which is the default search engine. Its features are listed and shown in screenshots, and its Brave Rewards programs for web users and content publishers are described.
https://brave.com/
Developed by Google in 2008, the Chromium web browser is a free and open-source (BSD, MIT, LGPL, MS-PL, MPL+GPL+LGPL) web browser source code, which can be compiled into a functional browser, although Google does not release a Chromium browser. The Chromium code is what Google uses to make its Chrome browser, which adds features to Chromium. Documentation, discussion groups, a blog, issue tracker, release calendar, and various tools are available.
https://www.chromium.org/Home
Patterned after the text editor, GNU Emacs, and vi, Conkeror is a Mozilla-based web browser intended to be navigated by a computer keyboard. Developed in 2017, the browser is available under the GNU General Public License, the GNU Lesser General Public License, and the Mozilla Public License. General information about the browser, links to its support community, an installation and startup guide, and full documentation and development resources are available on the site.
http://conkeror.org/
Created for the Microsoft Windows platform by Deepnet Security in 2005, the browser is known for its anti-phishing tools. It is also the first browser with an RSS news reader and P2P client integration. Other features include tabbed browsing, an ad killer, a content filter, and a cookie manager. Its features are highlighted here, and the browser may be downloaded for free. A help guide and other support information are provided, and an informational blog is included.
http://www.deepnetexplorer.com/
Dooble is a free and open-source (3-clause BSD License) web browser for FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, OS/2, and Windows platforms. Using Qt for its user interface, it should be portable to any system that supports OpenSSL, POSIX threads, Qt, SQLite, and similar libraries. Released in 2017, it is a rewrite of the original Dooble browser that was released in 2008. The browser was designed and implemented for privacy and usability and is probably most familiar to Linux users.
https://textbrowser.github.io/dooble/
Developed by Hidden Reflex, Epic is a proprietary privacy web browser that is always in private browsing mode, and exiting the browser deletes all browser data. Released in 2013, the browser integrates social networking, chat clients, email facilities, and other widgets and is compatible with Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Its free, built-in VPN protects browsing history from your ISP and other data collectors. A blog, key features, and an online support forum are provided.
https://www.epicbrowser.com/
Previously known as QupZilla, Falkon is a free and open-source (GPLv3) web browser build on the QtWebEngine, a wrapper for the Chromium browser core. Begun for educational purposes, it has evolved into a feature-rich browser, with bookmarks, history, and tabs, as well as ad blocking, using a built-in AdBlock plugin. A KDE project, the browser is currently available for recent versions of Windows and Unix-like operating systems. Development notes and a download page are available.
https://www.falkon.org/
Available for Intel-based mac-OS systems, Fluid is a site-specific web browser. The basic version of Fluid is free, but a license purchase unlocks additional features, such as the ability to pin fluid apps to the macOS status bar, to use user-scripts and user-styles in Fluid apps, and to use full-screen mode in Fluid apps. Rather than running commonly accessed sites in tabs in a browser, Fluid allows users to create a Mac app our of any website or application, which can appear in your dock.
https://fluidapp.com/
Originally known as GNU IceWeasel, GNU IceCat is a free version of the Mozilla Firefox web browser distributed by the GNU Project. Compatible with Android, Linux, MacOS, and Windows, the browser was released as part of GNUzilla, a rebranding of a code base that used to be the Mozilla Application Suite, which also includes a mail and newsgroup program and an HTML composer. Its privacy protection features are listed, documentation is provided, and links to download sites are given.
https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/
Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google Corporation. Released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, it was later ported to Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and other platforms. It is the default browser for the Chrome operating system, where it also serves as the platform for web applications. Although the bulk of its code comes from its open-source Chromium Project, Chrome is licensed as proprietary freeware. Although WebKit was its original rendering engine, it was replaced by Blink.
https://www.google.com/chrome/
Based on the Gecko layout engine developed by Mozilla, K-Meleon is a free and open-source (GNU GPL) web browser designed for the Microsoft Windows operating systems. Originally written in 2000, the browser is actively maintained by the K-Meleon Group, and designed to be less resource-intensive than other Gecko-based Windows browsers. A fork of K-Meleon based on the Goanna engine is also available, and both are in active development. Screenshots, documentation, and a support forum are available.
http://kmeleonbrowser.org/
Developed and licensed by the KDE Community, Konqueror is a free and open-source web browser available under the terms of the GNU General Public License. Forming a core part of the KDE Software Compilation, it is available for Unix-like operating systems. Its features include web-browsing using KHTML or KDEWebKit as rendering engines, file management, and it serves as an FTP client. Development notes and installation instructions are included.
https://kde.org/applications/internet/org.kde.konqueror
LibreWolf is a custom version of Firefox focused on privacy, security, and freedom. A fork of Firefox, the browser is free and open-source. The browser is licensed by Mozilla Public License 2.0, while its website is authorized by GNU AGPL 3.0. It can also be installed through a portable AppImage or the Microsoft Store and Windows Package Manager, can run on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and is said to work with FreeBSD and OpenBSD, as well. Source code and documentation are available.
https://librewolf.net/
Released in 1999, Links is an open-source (GPLv2+) text and graphic web browser with a pull-down menu system. The browser is capable of rendering complex pages, and supports multiple character set, such as UTF-8, supports color and monochrome terminals, and permits horizontal scrolling. Created in the Czech Republic, it is maintained by the author’s group, Twibright Labs. It is compatible with macOS, Windows, Unix/Linux-like systems, and DOS.
http://links.twibright.com/
Lunascape is an Internet browser developed at the Muraoka Laboratory at Waseda University in Japan in 2001 and incorporated as a public company in 2004 before being acquired by Mediadue in 2017. Its brand includes Lunascape Orion, a browser for desktop PCs, as well as Lunascape Phoebe, designed for macOS and Windows, and Lunascape Mobile and Lunascape Wallet. Each of its products is featured here, where they are available for downloading. Online support request forms are available.
https://www.lunascape.org/
Created as a product of the Distributed Computing Group at the Academic Computing Services of the University of Kansas in 1992, Lynx is a customizable text-based web browser used on cursor-addressable character cell terminals. In 1995, it was released under the terms of the GNU General Public License and is currently maintained by a group of volunteers led by Thomas Dickey. Current development information, resource information, a user guide, and a stable release download are available.
https://lynx.invisible-island.net/
Offering versions compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS, with a historical version available for Linux, Maxthon is a freeware web browser based on Chromium. The browser may be downloaded from the site, including beta versions, when available. Troubleshooting, a help center, and a community-supported discussion area can be found on the site, along with release notes, a full set of features, and a FAQ. Previous and historic versions may also be downloaded.
https://www.maxthon.com/
Created by Microsoft Corporation in 2015, the browser was first implemented as the default browser for Windows 10, and has since been ported to Xbox One, Android, iOS, and macOS. Originally using the EdgeHTML and Chakra engines, the browser was rewritten as a Chromium-based browser in 2019, using the Blink and V8 engines. Its features are highlighted on the Microsoft site, including screenshots and video, along with development plans and other informational articles.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/microsoft-edge
Developed by the Mozilla Foundation, Firefox is a free and open-source (MPL 2.0) web browser that uses the Gecko layout engine. Officially available for recent versions of Windows, macOS, and Linux, there are unofficial ports for several Unix-like operating systems, and Android and iOS mobile platforms, although the iOS version uses the WebKit layout engine. The browser and several associated products may be downloaded from the site. Registration with the site provides full access.
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/
Stylized as MyKidsBrowser, this is designed to be a kid-safe Internet browser, intended to be simple for parents to install and to set up for their children. It is ready for children to use immediately after the installation finishes. The browser seeks to protect children from pornography and Internet predators, and includes a whitelist technology that allows parents to decide what is suitable for their children and was is not. It is available for purchase, with no subscription fees.
https://www.mykidsbrowser.com/
Developed in 2007 for the RISC OS, NetSurf is now available for most mainstream operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Unix/Linux-like systems. Available under the terms of the GNU General Public License, it may be freely downloaded, along with its source code. A project overview is included on the site, along with documentation, development news and notes, and information for webmasters who want to learn more about NetSurf.
http://www.netsurf-browser.org/
Created by Telenor in 1994, the development of the Opera web browser was acquired by Opera Software in 1995, and was a commercial software application for the first ten years when it utilized its own Presto layout engine. However, its development transitioned to Chromium in 2013. Available for recent versions of Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, it includes three mobile versions (Mobile, Touch, and Mini), as well as Opera GX, a gaming browser. Currently freeware, it may be freely downloaded.
https://www.opera.com/
With releases for FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, and Windows and contributed builds for various platforms, Pale Moon is an open-source web browser known for its customization. Originally a fork of Firefox, it has diverged considerably while retaining the highly customizable user interface of the Firefox version 4-28 era, and it continues support for some add-ons and plugins no longer supported by Firefox, such as Adobe Flash Player. The browser, add-ons, and tools may be downloaded from the site.
https://www.palemoon.org/
Developed by CloudMosa, Puffin browser products are offered for various platforms and purposes. There is the Puffin Browser, Puffin Secure Browser, Puffin Incognito Browser, Puffin Cloud Browser, and Puffin TV Browser, as well as some other products, which are available as a package, known as Puffin 365. Various plans are available, and advanced features for security products. A profile of the company and its products is set forth, along with support information and contacts.
https://www.puffin.com/
The default web browser for the Mac, Safari is specifically optimized for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, and not available for non-Apple platforms, although a previous version supported Windows. Licensed as freeware, with some components under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License, it is preinstalled on Mac products. Based on the WebKit engine, Safari is a graphical browser. Its features are highlighted, along with screenshots and other information.
https://www.apple.com/safari/
Created by FlashPeak, an Austin company, SlimBrowser originally used the Microsoft Trident layout engine but switched to the Gecko engine in 2019. FlashPeak also makes a cross-platform browser known as SlimJet, which uses Chromium. Available for downloading as freeware, the browser supports the Windows operating system. A list of features, awards, honors, and demonstration videos are set forth, and an online manual, newsletter, FAQ, and discussion/support forum are available.
https://www.slimbrowser.net/
Developed by the Tor Project, Tor is a free and open-source (BSD 3-clause) browser that isolates each website that a user visits so that third-party trackers and ads can’t follow. When browsing is concluded, any cookies are automatically cleared, along with the browsing history. Other features include browser fingerprint resistance, multi-layered encryption, and other features for anonymous online communication. It is available for Windows and Unix-like platforms, including macOS and Linux.
https://www.torproject.org/
Vivaldi began with a virtual community website designed to replace My Opera, which was shut down by Opera Software in 2014. From that site, Vivaldi Technologies was formed and launched the first preview of the Vivaldi web browser. Intended for general users, it is also targeted towards former Opera users disgruntled over changes made to that web browser and technically inclined users. The browser can be downloaded from the site and is compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows.
https://vivaldi.com/
With official releases for Linux, macOS, and Windows, Waterfox is a free and open-source web browser and fork of Firefox, designed to be ethical, user-centric, and emphasize performance and privacy. It offers Oblivious DNS, which makes it harder for an ISP to track website connections, and also includes private tabs with private search without the need to open a private window first, as well as container tabs. Waterfox does not collect user data. It may be downloaded from the site.
https://www.waterfox.net/
Developed by the Russian search engine company, Yandex, the Yandex Browser uses the Blink web browser engine, and is based on the open-source Chromium project, but uses Opera’s Turbo technology to speed web browsing with slow connections. Compatible with Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS, the browser checks webpage security with its security system and downloaded files with Kaspersky antivirus. Licensed as freeware, it may be downloaded from the site.
https://browser.yandex.com/
The ZAC (Zone for Autistic Children) is a web browser designed for children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorders and pervasive developmental disorders, with the understanding that autistic children can be overwhelmed by the standard browser experience. Thus the ZAC browser reduces the number of user interface controls and removes access to much of the web in order to simplify the experience. The proprietary is available for purchase and compatible with PCs, Mac, and Linux machines.
https://zacbrowser.com/
