Introduction to Web Browser

• A browser is a software program that is used to explore, retrieve, and

display the information available on the World Wide Web. This information
may be in the form of pictures, web pages, videos, and other files that all
are connected via hyperlinks and categorized with the help of URLs
(Uniform Resource Locator). For example, you are viewing this page by
using a browser.
• A browser is a client program as it runs on a user computer or mobile
device and contacts the webserver for the information requested by the
user. The web server sends the data back to the browser that displays the
results on internet supported devices. On behalf of the users, the browser
sends requests to web servers all over the internet by using HTTP
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol). A browser requires a smartphone,
computer, or tablet and internet to work.

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 History of Web Browser
• The WorldWideWeb was the first web browser. It was created by W3C Director Tim Berners-
Lee in 1990. Later, it was renamed Nexus to avoid confusion caused by the actual World
Wide Web.
• The Lynx browser was a text-based browser, which was invented in 1992. It was not able to
display the graphical content.
• Although, the first graphical user interface browser was NCSA Mosaic (Laterly known as
Netscape). It was the first most popular browser in the world, which was introduced in 1993.
• In 1994, there were some improvements occurred in Mosaic and came to Netscape
Navigator.
• In 1995, Microsoft introduced the Internet Explorer It was the first web browser developed
by Microsoft.
• A research project started on Opera in 1994. Later, it was introduced in 1996.

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 CONTD….
• Apple's Safari browser was introduced in 2003. It was specifically
released for Macintosh computers.
• In 2004, Mozilla introduced Firefox as Netscape Navigator.
• In 2007, a browser Mobile Safari was released as Apple mobile web
browser.
• The popular browser Google Chrome was launched in 2008.
• The fast-growing mobile-based browser Opera Mini was released
in 2011.
• The Microsoft Edge browser was launched in 2015.

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 Introduction to URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
A uniform resource locator is the address of a resource on the internet or the
World Wide Web. It is also known as a web address or uniform resource identifier
(URI). A URL includes the following information:

• It uses the protocol to access the resource.

• It defines the location of a server by IP address or the domain name.
• It includes a fragment identifier, which is optional.
• It contains the location of the resource in the directory of the server.

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 Cntd…

A URL forwards user to a particular online resource, such as a video,

webpage, or other resources. For example, when you search
information on Google, the search results display the URL of the
relevant resources in response to your search query. The title which
appears in the search results is a hyperlink of the URL of the webpage.

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Component of a Web browser

By: Jaspreet S. Bajaj 6

1. User Interface: The user interface is an area where the user can use several
options like address bar, back and forward button, menu, bookmarking, and
many other options to interact with the browser.
2. Browser Engine: It connects the UI (User Interface) and the rendering engine as
a bridge. It queries and manipulates the rendering engine based on inputs from
several user interfaces.
3. Networking: It retrieves the URLs by using internet protocols like HTTP or FTP. It
is responsible for maintaining all aspects of Internet communication and
security. Furthermore, it may be used to cache a retrieved document to reduce
network traffic.

By: Jaspreet S. Bajaj 7

4. Rendering Engine: It is responsible for displaying the requested content on the
browser screen. It translates the HTML, XML files, and images, which are
formatted by using the CSS. It generates the layout of the content and displays it
on the browser screen. Although it can also display the other types of content by
using different types of plugins or extensions. such as:
1.Internet Explorer uses Trident
2.Chrome & Opera 15+ use Blink
3.Chrome (iPhone) & Safari use Webkit
4.Firefox & other Mozilla browsers use Gecko
5.JavaScript Interpreter: As the name suggests, JavaScript Interpreter translates
and executes the JavaScript code, which is included in a website. The translated
results are sent to the rendering engine to display results on the device screen.
By: Jaspreet S. Bajaj 8
 Contd…

6. UI Backend: It is used to draw basic combo boxes and Windows

(widgets). It specifies a generic interface, which is not platform-specific.
7. Data Storage: The data storage is a persistence layer that is used by
the browser to store all sorts of information locally, like cookies. A
browser also supports different storage mechanisms such as
IndexedDB, WebSQL, localStorage, and FileSystem. It is a database
stored on the local drive of your computer where the browser is
installed. It handles user data like cache, bookmarks, cookies, and
preferences.

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 IP address
• An IP address (internet protocol address) is a numerical representation that
uniquely identifies a specific interface on the network.
• Addresses in IPv4 are 32-bits long. This allows for a maximum of 4,294,967,296
(232) unique addresses. Addresses in IPv6 are 128-bits, which allows for 3.4 x
1038 (2128) unique addresses.
• The total usable address pool of both versions is reduced by various reserved
addresses and other considerations.
• IP addresses are binary numbers but are typically expressed in decimal form
(IPv4) or hexadecimal form (IPv6) to make reading and using them easier for
humans.

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 Cookies
Cookies are files, generally from the visited webpages, which are stored on a
user's computer. They hold a small amount of data, specific to a particular client
and website, and can be accessed either by the web server or the client computer
which can be usernames, password, session token, etc.

Cookies let websites remember you, your website logins, shopping carts and
more. But they can also be a treasure trove of private info for criminals to spy on.

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 Types of Cookies
There are three different types of cookies −
1. Session Cookies − These are mainly used by online shops and allows you to
keep items in your basket when shopping online. These cookies expire after a
specific time or when the browser is closed.

2. Permanent Cookies − These remain in operation, even when you have closed
the browser. They remember your login details and password so you don’t
have to type them in every time you use the site. It is recommended that you
delete these type of cookies after a specific time.

3. Third-Party Cookies − These are installed by third parties for collecting certain
information. For example: Google Maps.
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 Working of Web Browser
• When a user enters something (like xyz.com) in the browser. This request goes
to a domain name server.
• The browser sends the user request to the server using an IP address, which is
described by the domain name server.
• The domain name server sends an IP address to the web server that hosts the
website.
• The server sends the information back to the IP address, which is defined by the
browser at the time of the request. The requested page may include links to
other files on the same server, like images, for which the browser also requests
the server.
• The browser gathers all the information requested by the user, and displays on
your device screen in the form of web pages.
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 List of Browsers
The functions of all web browsers are the same. Thus, more than the
different types there are different web browsers which have been used
over the years.
Discussed below are different web browser examples and their specific
features:
1. WorldWideWeb
The first web browser everLaunched in 1990. It was later named “Nexus”
to avoid any confusion with the World Wide Web Had the very basic
features and less interactive in terms of graphical interface did not have
the feature of bookmark

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 Contd…
2. Mosaic
• It was launched in 1993
• The second web browser which was launched
• Had a better graphical interface. Images, text and graphics could all be
integrated
• It was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
• The team which was responsible for creating Mosaic was lead by Marc
Andreessen
• It was named “the world’s first popular browser”

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 Contd…
3. Netscape Navigator
It was released in 1994 In the 1990s, it was the dominant browser in terms of
usage share More versions of this browser were launched by Netscape It had an
advanced licensing scheme and allowed free usage for non-commercial purposes.
4. Internet Explorer
It was launched in 1995 by Microsoft
By 2003, it has attained almost 95% of usage share and had become the most
popular browsers of all Close to 10 versions of Internet Explorer were released by
Microsoft and were updated gradually. It was included in the Microsoft Windows
operating system
In 2015, it was replaced with “Microsoft Edge”, as it became the default browser
on Windows 10.
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 Contd…
5. Firefox
It was introduced in 2002 and was developed by Mozilla Foundation
Firefox overtook the usage share from Internet Explorer and became the
dominant browser during 2003-04
Location-aware browsing was made available with Firefox
This browser was also made available for mobile phones, tablets, etc.

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 Contd…
6. Google Chrome
It was launched in 2008 by Google. It is a cross-platform web browser
Multiple features from old browsers were amalgamated to form better and newer
features.
To save computers from malware, Google developed the ad-blocking feature to
keep the user data safe and secure
Incognito mode is provided where private searching is available where no cookies
or history is saved. Till date, it has the best user interface
Apart from these, Opera Mini web browser was introduced in 2005 which was
specially designed for mobile users. Before the mobile version, the computer
version “Opera” was also released in 1995. It supported a decent user interface
and was developed by Opera Software.
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 Introduction to Extension or Add-ons or Plugins
• A plug-in, add-on, or extension are generally the same thing; a software
component that adds a feature to an existing computer program. This can be
part of a stand-alone app or part of an internet browser. For example, a
browser plug-in expands a web browser's functionality by installing specific
toolbars, adding buttons, links, or other useful functions, like pop-up blocking.
• Applications and browsers support plug-ins, add-ons, and extensions for
multiple reasons: to allow third-party developers to create specific functions, to
add new features easily, and to expand functionality.
• Legitimate application plug-ins include add-ons that can encrypt and decrypt
email, emulate video game consoles, process and analyze sound, and provide
text editors. Legitimate browser plug-ins include search toolbars, media players,
and text readers.
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 Google Chrome
1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Access the Chrome Web Store.
3. Search the store for a phrase or extension name, or scroll down to view
recommended extensions. When you find an extension you want to install, click
the add to chrome button.
4. In the confirmation box, click Add extension.

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 Firefox
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Access the Firefox Add-ons site.
3. At the top of the page, click Extensions. In the Find add-ons search field, type a
phrase or extension you want to find. You can also browse recommended
extensions using the category buttons.
4. When you find an extension you want to install, click the add to firefox button.
5. In the upper-right corner of the screen, click Install.

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 Microsoft Edge
1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more icon in the upper-right corner of the browser
window.
3. In the drop-down menu, select Extensions.
4. In the middle-left section of the screen, click the button.
In the upper-left section of the next window, search for an extension.

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5. Once you find the add-on you want to install, click the Get button.
6. Click Add extension in the prompt that appears.

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 Introduction to SSL Certificate
• SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. Utilizing SSL is the original
protocol required to obtain an HTTPS site.
• To be deemed secure, defined by the secure communication of data
with guaranteed privacy and integrity, an HTTPS website needed an
SSL certificate and a public key to communicate on the internet.

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 SSL
• Provides security to the data that is transferred between web
browser and server. SSL encrypts the link between a web
server and a browser which ensures that all data passed
between them remain private and free from attack.
• SSL Record provides two services to SSL connection.
– Confidentiality
– Message Integrity

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