Browsers are software programs that provide graphical interfaces to information on the Web. They display pages written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and make it possible for you to click on links to jump to other pages. This neat invention is called hypertext.

The first graphical Web browser was Mosaic, and for many years users of the Web had many browser choices. Now the browser market is dominated by Netscape's Navigator/Communicator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE). Regardless of which browser you choose, you can access the same information and can configure the software to match your personal preferences.

Each browser interprets some HTML elements in its own way, so the same page might display differently, depending on which browser you use. The competition between Microsoft and Netscape to create the most popular software has been called the "browser wars." In this battle each company tries to outdo the other with unique features. Currently, at least, Microsoft's IE has the advantage.