Web Browsers
All web browsers today fulfil the same primary purpose, to provide their users with access to information on the Internet. What differentiates one browser from another is its speed and reliability, any additional features that it provides and the platform that it is available on.
Worldwide Browser Market Share
September 2020 to September 2021
Here is a graph, provided by StatCounter Global Stats, showing the market share of different browsers.
Below is a selection of these browsers, together with more information for each.
Chrome
Chrome is a web browser that is provided by Google, which was first released back in 2008. It is available on a number of different platforms including, Microsoft Windows, Linux, under the name Chromium, maxOS, iOS and Android.
There are numerous extensions available for Chrome that provide additional functionality, which are provided both by Google and the user community.
How Tos and Useful Stuff
- Official Chrome website.
- 30 Chrome extensions for designers and devs.
- Augury browser extension - Extends the Developer Tools, providing the facility to debug and profile Angular applications.
- JSONView browser extension - Formats JSON into a readable format.
Edge
Edge is the newest of the browsers discussed here, with its release in July 2015 and was provided by Microsoft to coincide with the release of Windows 10. It comes as part of both the desktop and mobile versions of Windows 10, as well as the Xbox One games console and is a replacement for Internet Explorer, discussed below. There are also mobile versions for Android and iOS operating systems.
Initially there was no means to provide extensions for Edge, however, this functionality has since been added and they are now distributed via the Windows Store. The number of extensions available for Edge, although growing, is still quite small in comparison to other more established browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
How Tos and Useful Stuff
Firefox
Firefox is a browser that is developed by Mozilla, a non-profit organisation and was first released back in 2002. It is available on various different platforms including, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Like Chrome, Firefox has a well established library of extensions available, developed by Mozilla and the wider user community.
How Tos and Useful Stuff
Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer, or IE for short, is a web browser that has been provided by Microsoft as part of its Windows operating systems since 1995. At its peak, in 2002, it had a 95% share of the browser market, however, with the emergence of browsers such as Chrome and Firefox, along with platforms such as Android, where it is not available, its share has since dropped to just over 5%.
Although Internet Explorer is still available today with the latest version of Windows, Windows 10, it is no longer the default browser. Edge, discussed above, is the newer offering provided by Microsoft and will be the default browser moving forward.
How Tos and Useful Stuff
Opera
Opera started out life back in 1994 as a research project for Telenor, a Norwegian telecommunications company. The following year its development was separated out into a separate company, Opera Software ASA. It wasn't until 1996 that the first publicly available version was released. Initially Opera was only available for the Microsoft Windows operating system, however, today there are also versions for macOS, Linux and Android.
Since 2010 Opera has included the ability to add extensions to provide additional functionality, which are developed by Opera and its community of users.
How Tos and Useful Stuff
Safari
Safari is a web browser that has been developed by Apple since 2003 for use on its own macOS platform as well as its mobile devices that run the iOS operating system. There was also a Microsoft Windows version released in 2007, however, this was discontinued in 2012.
With Safari being developed by Apple it integrates well with other services that they provide, such as Apple Pay and Apple TV. Since version 5, which was released in 2010, extensions can also be developed, which provide additional functionality to the browsing experience.