# Web browser: what it is and how it works · Zorraquino
> A web browser is an application for accessing web pages and apps: it requests, interprets and displays their resources.
URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/web-browser.html

# Web browser

A web browser is an application for accessing web pages and applications: it requests resources from servers, interprets them and displays them so people can view and use them

What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.

[The whole glossary](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary)

## What it is and how it works

It processes HTML, CSS and JavaScript, manages connection security, cookies and permissions, and offers features such as tabs, bookmarks, sync and extensions. The most widely used today are Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox, alongside others such as Opera and Samsung Internet; Internet Explorer was retired in 2022.

Behind each browser is a rendering engine (Blink, WebKit or Gecko), and the differences between them explain why a website should be tested across several browsers and devices. Usage share changes over time and differs between desktop and mobile.

Also known as

browser

Topics

[Technology and data](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/category/tecnologia-y-datos)

## Related concepts

- [Rendering](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/rendering.html)
- [Cookies](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/cookies.html)
- [HTML](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/internet/html-language.html)