Browsers

Browsers

If you're looking for browsers or browser extensions, CNET Download.com has you covered. We feature all the latest versions of Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and more, as well as Firefox extensions, Internet Explorer add-ons, even RSS readers. If you want to surf the Web, CNET Download.com is the place to start. See all 5,557 products in this category.

for the week of: July 25Downloads

1.
Mozilla Firefox
Web Browsers129,038
2.
Adobe Flash Player
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins112,944
3.
Internet Explorer
Web Browsers69,015
4.
Google Chrome
Web Browsers54,173
Citrix XenServer

Create and manage your virtual infrastructure

Download Now
5.
Avant Browser
Web Browsers24,872
6.
Opera
Web Browsers15,536
7.
Internet Explorer 9
Web Browsers14,905
J. River Media Center

Organize and play audio, video, images, TV, Web media.

Download Now
8.
VideoDownloader
Firefox Add-ons & Plugins12,021
9.
Apple Safari
Web Browsers8,588
10.
ieSpell
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins8,300

See all most popular software

Release date

Google Voice Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
Feedly Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
FireShot for Internet Explorer Jul 30
Internet Explorer Add-ons & Plugins
Google Chrome dev Jul 30
Web Browsers
The Mind Blender Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
Snake Game Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
Be The Santa Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
Facebook Cookie Killer Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
FMyLife Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins
Tab Slideshow Jul 30
Other Browser Add-ons & Plugins

See all new releases

1.
Mozilla Firefox
Surf the Web, block pop-ups, and keep spyware at bay with a lean and fast open-source browser.
2.
Internet Explorer
Browse the Web with tabs, improved RSS support, and robust security features.
3.
Opera
Browse faster with Turbo, Speed Dial, mouse gestures, and spell checker.
4.
SlimBrowser
Navigate the Web using secure browser with form filler, popup and ad blocker, and download manager.
5.
Maxthon (Classic)
Surf the Net with pop-up filtering, tabbed navigation, and automatic page-scrolling.
6.
Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer
Update your IE browsing experience with Google gadgets, AutoFill, translation, saved settings, and synchronized bookmarks.
7.
Google Chrome
Browse the Web Google-style.
8.
Yahoo Toolbar with Anti Spyware
Search the Web from anywhere, block pop-ups or spyware, and get one-click access to your mail.
9.
Xnews
Try this NewsXpress-like newsreader.
10.
PDF Download
Open, download, or view Adobe Acrobat files as PDF or HTML files in your browser.

See all editor's picks

an introduction to Browsers

Browsers, often called Web browsers, are software clients that allow users to navigate to sites on the World Wide Web. The majority of these Web sites use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), but many browsers can also interpret other protocols, including FTP, RSS, and P2P protocols such as BitTorrent. Hypertext pioneer Tim Berners-Lee created the first ever Web browser, WorldWideWeb, in 1990, but the software didn't become popular until the release of NCSA Mosaic, the first graphical client.

Browsers truly hit the mainstream with the launch of Netscape Navigator, which was later shortened to simply Netscape, though the free client's popularity was radically affected by the 1995 release of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's entry into the browser market. In the years since, IE has completely dominated the market, only recently losing ground to alternative browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Opera.

Aside from general Web browsers, various subsets of the category offer special services. Offline browsers cache content from the Internet for future reference when you're not connected to a network. Newsreaders manage content from Usenet newsgroups and syndicated feeds.

In recent years, the open-source browser Mozilla Firefox has earned praise for the ability of third-party developers to easily create extensions that add functionality. Among the thousands of home-brewed add-ons for Firefox, we've narrowed down our favorites in a collection of the best. The Microsoft browser also allows for IE add-ons, but its closed framework makes it a bit more difficult for developers.

from the download blog

Tighter security coming in Firefox 4

an introduction to Browsers