What is a web browser

Graphic showing how browsers allow connection to the internet

A web browser is software you download on your device to visit websites and view content on the internet.

It's like your gateway to the online world. When you type in a web address (URL), the browser fetches the web page from a server and displays it on your screen.

This article provides information about web browsers and related terms, including search engines, URLs, and cookies, to help you understand how browsing works.

Web browsers are not search engines:

It's common for people to mix up a web browser with a search engine, but they're different. A web browser, like Chrome or Firefox, is used to visit websites by typing in their web addresses (URLs). On the other hand, a search engine, such as Google or Bing, is a website within the browser that helps you discover new websites by searching for keywords.

The Be Connected website has some excellent self-paced online learning resources to help you grasp these concepts. Each module only takes a few minutes to complete:

Browser basics

In this Be Connected activity, you'll learn why your web browser is so important when it comes to accessing the internet, and how it helps you browse the web more safely.

You will be taken to the Be Connected, Australian government website to do the online activity.
Search engines

Knowing the address of every website you want to visit on the internet would be impossible. That's where a search engine comes in handy.

In this Be Connected activity, you will learn about search engines, and how they can help find what you're looking for on the internet. You will be taken to the Be Connected, Australian government website to do the online activity.

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How to read URLs

Each web page has a unique web address called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). It is like a street address of a house on the internet. You can go to a page by typing a URL into your browser's address bar. The URL can sometimes give clues about what's on the web page. Here is an example:

how to read urls using The Smith Family website as an example

Protocol: The most common are "http" and "https". The 's' in "https" means that the connection to the website is secure, which could be a better option for security.
Domain name: This is the address of the website. It includes the main name of the site and a top-level domain (TLD). For example:

.au: Indicates an Australian website.
.com: Generally used for commercial purposes.
.edu: Used by educational institutions.
.gov: Used by government departments.
.org: Mostly used by non-profits and organisations.

Path: This is the specific location within the website where the resource is found. It's like a folder path on your computer.

What are cookies?

When you browse websites, your browser saves data called cookies. These cookies track your online activity and improve your browsing experience, such as remembering your login details or personalising ads.

However, they also collect details about your online behaviour, which websites and advertisers can access. This is why you may notice pop-ups and ads related to your interests. If you'd like to adjust your cookie settings, here are some resources to help you get started: