Glossary · Hosting and delivery
Browser
Software that requests web resources, interprets them, and presents an interactive page to a visitor.
Definition
A browser such as Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge requests resources from web servers and interprets HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and related files. Browsers differ, screen sizes differ, and assistive technologies interact with the same structure in different ways.
Why it matters
A website must be tested as a flexible system, not approved from one desktop screenshot.
Common misunderstanding
A browser is not a search engine. A browser displays the web; a search engine helps people find pages.
Related terms
Related system family: Hosting & Release
Sources
- How the web works (opens in a new tab) · MDN Web Docs
Last reviewed July 16, 2026