If you’re not very interested in technology, there are a lot of terms that might seem interchangeable. For example, many people will confuse the browser that Google provides for the search engine of the same name. This makes sense, in a way, since Google handles more than 90% of search engine traffic online.
There are enormous differences between browser vs search engine, however. You don’t need a degree in computer science to understand them, either. Read on, and we’ll simplify the differences and why they matter.
What Is a Browser?
We’ll first address the most straightforward question to answer. A browser is a tool that allows you to connect to and view web pages. A good example would be the blog that you’re reading right now!
A lot of technical know-how goes into understanding how the relationship between your browser and webpages works. Still, we’ll try to boil it down to easily-digestible facts.
Web designers write web pages in code, a unique language that contains instructions. A browser’s job is to interpret this code and create a graphical display that conforms to those given instructions. All the fancy effects, images, or design choices you see on a webpage are thanks to this underlying code.
Which Browser Is the Best?
You’ll see a lot of suggestions in any browser guide you look at, and there’s no perfect fit for everyone. One of the most popular choices that denizens of the internet will claim is the best browser is Google Chrome, made by the tech giant that operates the search engine of the same name.
The other option you’ll often see is Firefox, made by Mozilla. Both browsers are free to use and have many plugins and add-ons to customize them further.
The customization puts them on par with each other, making a choice slightly irrelevant unless you are more privacy-minded, in which case one of the many alternative browsers will be your best bet.
What Is a Search Engine?
A search engine is what you probably used to find this blog! It’s a catalog of almost every webpage on the internet’s surface, all stored in one easy place. Think of it like a library, one that has almost every single book.
Any search engine guide will direct you to Google as the best of the search engines, and for a good reason. It, without a doubt, has the most solid algorithms that can determine your search intent with near pinpoint accuracy.
Browser vs Search Engine Similarities
Armed with this new knowledge, you might think that a whole new internet is waiting for you on a different browser or search engine. The truth is, although there’s a difference between a browser vs search engine, it doesn’t matter which of either you use.
Different browsers will all display the code similarly, and most search engines will catalog similar results. If you’d like to dig even deeper into the world of technology beyond search engines and browsers, then continue reading our blog!