How Web Browsers Work

Why web browser

The Internet has become part of life a day without the internet is hard right but have you ever thought about what makes the internet easily accessible or what a web browser is? Well, now the question that most people have is how this browser actually works. We are going to understand the working of one of the most popular browsers chrome.

Web browser analogy

So imagine you have a book with lots of pages. Each page has pictures, words, and links to other pages in the book. Now, a web browser is like a special kind of book that can show you pages on the internet, which is like a really big library of books that anyone can read.

When you type a web address into the browser, like "google.com," the browser goes to the internet and looks for the page you want, just like you would look for a book in the library. When it finds the page, it starts downloading all the pictures and words that make up the page and puts them together on your computer screen so you can see it.

Browser Engine

Google Chrome is a program on your computer that lets you visit websites on the internet, like playing games or watching videos.

The engine is like a car's engine that helps it move. In the same way, the Chrome engine helps the program work smoothly and quickly so you can go to different websites easily. Its kind of like the engine helps Google Chrome drive you to the websites you want to visit!

Important components of chrome engine

  • Rendering engine: This component is responsible for interpreting the code that makes up a web page and transforming it into a visual representation that you can see on your screen. It determines how text, images, and other elements are displayed, and handles user interactions like scrolling and clicking.

  • JavaScript engine: JavaScript is a programming language used to create interactive web pages. The JavaScript engine in the Chrome browser executes JavaScript code and handles its interactions with other components of the engine.

  • Networking components: These components handle the process of fetching web pages from servers, managing cookies and other data, and ensuring that secure connections are used when necessary.

  • User interface components: These components are responsible for displaying the Chrome browser's user interface, including the address bar, tabs, and other controls that you use to navigate the web.

  • Security components: The Chrome browser engine includes several features to help keep you safe while browsing the web, such as sandboxing, which isolates individual web pages to prevent them from accessing your computer's files or other web pages you may be viewing.

fig(1.1) Different processes pointing to different parts of browser UI