Web browser

A web browser is an application for accessing websites and the Internet.[1] When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. In 2020, an estimated 4.9 billion people have used a browser.[2] The most used browser is Google Chrome, with a 65% global market share on all devices, followed by Safari with 18%.[3]

A web browser is not the same thing as a search engine, though the two are often confused.[4][5] A search engine is a website that provides links to other websites. However, to connect to a website's server and display its web pages, a user must have a web browser installed.[6] In some technical contexts, browsers are referred to as user agents.