Understanding How Firefox Functions

A web browser can be compared to the tires on your car. You might not think about them much day-to-day, but without them, you wouldn’t be able to move forward. The moment something goes wrong, however, it’s impossible not to notice.

It's likely that you're viewing this article using Microsoft's Internet Explorer. This browser comes pre-installed on Windows operating systems; since most people use Windows, they don't often think about which browser they're using. In fact, many are unaware they even have other browser options.

There are alternatives available, and one of them has been gradually challenging Internet Explorer's dominance. That alternative is Firefox. Originally stemming from the once-popular Netscape browser, Firefox has cultivated a dedicated following of users who share their enthusiasm through word of mouth (or blog posts).

For a time, it appeared that Microsoft's Internet Explorer would reign supreme in the browser market forever. Its main competitors, Netscape Navigator and the AOL Browser, were both defeated by it. When Firefox emerged, it had a tough road ahead to carve out space in the market. However, Firefox's popularity has increased significantly since its launch, especially among web administrators and developers.

The word has spread quickly. On June 17, 2008, Firefox hosted an event called Download Day to launch the final version of Firefox 3. The event aimed to encourage users to download the new browser and set a record for the most downloads of a single application within 24 hours. The event was a success—Firefox 3 earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads of an application in one day: 8,002,530 to be precise [source: Spread Firefox].

In this article, we’ll explore what sets Firefox apart, what it offers, and how an open-source browser could reshape the internet landscape.

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Firefox's Origins

Firefox's roots can be traced back to Netscape, the company behind the Netscape Navigator browser, which once dominated the web before Microsoft's Internet Explorer emerged. The internal name for the browser was Mozilla. Eventually, Netscape released Navigator’s source code under an open-source license, allowing anyone to access and modify it. This led to the formation of a non-profit organization to guide the development of browsers built with this code. This organization became the Mozilla Foundation in 2003.

Firefox, however, did not unfold the way the Mozilla team had initially envisioned. Like Netscape Navigator, the Mozilla browser was growing larger with the addition of more features—an issue known as "feature creep" or "bloat" in software development. Enter Blake Ross, a young computer enthusiast who began assisting with the Mozilla project as a hobby at just 14. Instead of embracing the bloat, Ross opted to develop a simpler, more focused browser based on Mozilla. Software developer Dave Hyatt played a key role, and in 2003, Ben Goodger joined the team, speeding up the development process.

Initially, the browser that would later become Firefox was called Phoenix, but trademark issues led to a name change to Firebird. However, another software company had a project named Firebird, prompting yet another name change. Eventually, Firefox was chosen, as it was unique and available for use (though a European company later claimed the Firefox trademark, and a deal was made).

During the beta stage (the phase before public release when users test a program and report issues), Firefox generated significant buzz among tech-savvy internet users. Within just four months of its official release on Nov. 9, 2004, an estimated 23 million people had downloaded it. Web tracker OneStat.com reported that, by Nov. 22, 2004, Internet Explorer’s market share had dropped by five percent since May of that year, with Firefox claiming 4.5 percent of the market. By September 2009, Firefox's market share had risen to nearly 20 percent [source: Net Applications].

Next, discover the fundamentals of Firefox and how to get it on your device.

Firefox Essentials

The best way to familiarize yourself with Firefox is simply to download it (it’s free!). Head to the official site: http://www.getfirefox.com to grab the latest version, Firefox . If you're wary about installing a new browser, don't worry—Firefox is similar to Internet Explorer and other browsers in design. It even features a handy tool for IE users that maps the familiar functions to their Firefox equivalents.

At the top of your screen, you'll find the Awesome Bar (a space for entering Web addresses), a compact search box, and a row of buttons—standard tools for typical Web-surfing tasks. You can easily access forward, back, home, reload, and stop buttons in this basic setup. Like nearly everything else in Firefox, these buttons are fully customizable. Feel free to rearrange them, remove any you don't need, or add new ones as you see fit.

The Awesome Bar isn’t just for typing Web URLs. It's connected to your browsing history. If you frequently visit a site like Mytour.com, Firefox’s Awesome Bar will learn your preferences and predict your next move. Start typing "how" and it will display a list of websites you've visited that match. You can select from the dropdown and be taken straight to the site. The Awesome Bar doesn’t just track URLs; it also remembers terms from the sites you visit. So, if you’re trying to find a site with a specific name, type part of it into the Awesome Bar, and chances are Firefox can help you locate it.

If Firefox is so similar to Internet Explorer, why make the switch? There are numerous reasons, but for many, the most compelling one is security.

There has been much debate about the security of web browsers, largely due to Internet Explorer’s role as a frequent target for hackers and virus creators. Microsoft regularly issues patches to fix security flaws in Internet Explorer, which could otherwise allow malicious software to be installed or sensitive data to be stolen. Firefox was initially seen as a safer alternative to IE, but every browser has its vulnerabilities. For instance, just five hours after the release of Firefox 3, a security flaw in the browser's code was found [source: Gohring]. Internet Explorer remains a bigger target due to its wider user base, but as Firefox’s popularity grows, that could change. See the Firefox Security section on the next page to explore further.

Let’s dive deeper into Firefox's features and see how you can enhance them.

Firefox Features

Firefox comes equipped with several innovative features that differentiate it from older versions of Internet Explorer—features so useful that other browsers, including Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, and Google Chrome, have incorporated them as well. One of the standout features is tabbed browsing. In Internet Explorer 6, if you want to visit a new site without closing your current one, you need to open a separate browser window. This can quickly lead to a cluttered taskbar and waste valuable system resources. Firefox addresses this by allowing you to open multiple sites in different tabs within the same browser window. Instead of switching between separate windows, users can seamlessly toggle between sites by clicking on the tabs located just below the toolbar.

You can open a new blank tab either from the menu or by clicking the "New Tab" button, which can be added to the toolbar.

Firefox is equipped with a built-in pop-up blocker that stops annoying ads from appearing in front of your browser window. You can set it to notify you when a pop-up is blocked, and you can also choose to allow pop-ups from certain trusted sites. This way, you can enable useful pop-ups while keeping unwanted ads at bay.

A key feature of Firefox that appeals to many users is that it is a cross-platform application. This means Firefox is compatible with several different operating systems, not just Windows. Currently, it supports all Windows versions from Windows 98 onward, as well as recent versions of Mac OS X and Linux.

Firefox , launched in 2009, introduced a range of new features that have become standard across many browsers. One of the most notable features is Private Browsing, which lets you browse the internet without leaving a trail of your search history or other identifiable session data. If you'd prefer, you can use the Forget this Site feature to completely erase all traces of a specific site.

A standout feature of Firefox is its extensions, which are almost like granting a wish for unlimited wishes. Firefox extensions allow the browser to be customized with nearly limitless capabilities, with new features being added daily. Despite the vast number of extensions, the browser remains lightweight, as users only add the ones they personally need.

Junior high students likely don’t need stock market tickers, and researchers probably don’t require an MP3 player built into their browser. However, if there's a feature you love from another browser, it's likely someone has developed an extension to add it to Firefox.

So where do all these extensions come from? They stem from Firefox's open source philosophy (see What does "open source" mean?). Not only is Firefox's source code available for review and modification, but Firefox also offers free developer tools for anyone interested in creating extensions.

Next, let’s take a look at a few of the available extensions for Firefox.

Firefox Extensions

Firefox extensions come in all shapes and sizes, from essential tools like ad blockers to whimsical additions, such as an extension that humorously changes the definition of 'Cookies' in the Options menu to 'Cookies are delicious delicacies.' Here are a few standout extensions worth checking out.

Turn the page to discover more about Firefox's security.

Firefox Security

Firefox takes a different approach to security compared to Internet Explorer. While Internet Explorer uses security zones, which can sometimes be manipulated by malicious software, Firefox doesn't rely on zones. Firefox also avoids digital signatures, which are used by programmers to validate software. When you attempt to install software on a PC, Internet Explorer checks if the digital signature matches the software's actual vendor. Peter Torr, a program manager at Microsoft, has criticized Firefox's security for lacking this system. However, a digital signature doesn't guarantee that the software is safe; it only means someone paid for the signature, and fraudulent signatures have been issued in the past.

ActiveX controls are another potential security risk. ActiveX, which is embedded in Internet Explorer, allows certain websites to automatically download scripts or run small applications. While Firefox doesn't support ActiveX, which may prevent some sites from displaying correctly, it significantly reduces security vulnerabilities by choosing safety over functionality.

Firefox introduces several enhanced security features. For instance, if you click on the favicon—the small image next to the website URL in the Awesome Bar—it will inform you if the site's identity is verifiable. Firefox now also provides anti-phishing and anti-malware protection, alerting you when visiting sites that could attempt to install spyware, Trojans, or worms, complete with a reason why the site is unsafe.

Firefox brings additional security improvements. By clicking on the favicon—the icon next to the URL in the Awesome Bar—you can check if the site's identity is confirmed. Additionally, Firefox offers anti-phishing and anti-malware protections. If you encounter a site attempting to infect your computer with spyware, Trojan horses, or worms, Firefox warns you and explains why the site is dangerous.

Firefox's security approach also contrasts with Internet Explorer's because Firefox is an open-source program. This means anyone can view the source code behind Firefox. Although this might sound risky, it's actually beneficial since many more people work to identify and patch security flaws than there are hackers attempting to exploit them. With thousands of people examining the code, security vulnerabilities are typically addressed swiftly. Firefox developers even offered a $500 reward and a t-shirt to anyone who found a bug.

In 2009, a new version of Firefox was released. We will explore the changes in the next section.

Firefox : What's New?

Firefox introduced several new features, enhancements, and some much-needed fixes. From its release in June 2009 to September of the same year, over 220 million copies of the browser were downloaded worldwide [source: Mozilla]. During its first 24 hours, it was being downloaded at a rate of 100 copies per second [source: Siegler].

The latest version of Firefox is powered by the Gecko 1.9.1 rendering engine [source: Mozilla Developer Center]. A rendering engine is a program that decodes code and markup languages (like HTML or XSL) to generate the visual representation of a webpage in the browser. The Gecko 1.9.1 engine is faster than its predecessors, but this improvement comes with some trade-offs. For instance, after Firefox 3, the browser no longer supports Windows 98 or older versions, and it requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

With previous versions of Firefox, some users noticed their systems becoming sluggish over time. It appeared that Firefox was consuming more memory resources the longer it was in use, especially with multiple tabs open. This was due to a memory leak in the browser.

Memory leaks aren't typically a major issue—usually, a simple reboot solves the problem. However, repeatedly rebooting your computer every time you use Firefox for an extended browsing session can be frustrating. If you're running multiple applications at once, your computer's processing speed can become severely slowed. Fixing the memory leaks became a top priority for Mozilla with Firefox 3.

The Firefox development team utilizes several tools to detect and fix memory leaks. These tools, such as BloatView, Leaky, and Trace Malloc, were used to identify issues in earlier Firefox versions [source: Mozilla]. Additionally, the XPCOM cycle collector in Firefox actively searches for unused memory to return to the system [source: Mozilla].

Mozilla designed Firefox to work harmoniously with a variety of operating systems. Each version — Windows, Mac, and Linux — has its own unique look and feel, perfectly matching the native operating system.

Next, let's explore some potential issues with Firefox.

Firefox Problems and Concerns

Could Firefox be more than just another option for users frustrated with what they see as slow progress and ongoing security issues in Internet Explorer? It's possible. As Firefox continues to gain popularity, Microsoft feels increasing pressure to enhance its browser with new features. Industry analysts believe Firefox's success played a role in the release of Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8, though Microsoft attributes this to security vulnerabilities in IE6.

With Firefox now holding a significant share of the browser market, it will inevitably draw more attention, not all of it positive. Hackers targeting the new browser could cause security issues. This could lead to an ongoing cycle, with developers scrambling to patch vulnerabilities while hackers work to uncover new ones — much like the current scenario with Internet Explorer. As Firefox's user base grows, it may also lose its appeal as a unique alternative.

Since Firefox is based on open-source code, it has far-reaching implications. The browser is not only free to download and use, but its source code is open to the public, allowing independent development and modification. This could lead to some developers splitting from Firefox to create their own versions. Alternative builds of Firefox already exist, although they may not offer the same stability as the official version.

One potential issue with Firefox is its ability to block advertisements on websites. While some ads are intrusive and annoying, they also fund the vast amount of content offered by many sites (such as this one). If users can easily avoid seeing these ads, websites will have to come up with new business models to provide content while still generating revenue.

A survey suggests that Firefox users are less inclined to click on Web ads than users of other browsers. However, this seems more likely to reflect higher levels of internet savvy than ad-blocking behavior [source: Marson]. A possible solution: Advertisers could focus on creating better, less intrusive ads. Ads that mimic Windows error messages or system dialogue boxes are universally disliked, while flashing, blinking, and scrolling ads tend to distract almost everyone.

The issue may not be as severe as some believe. Firefox doesn't automatically block all banner ads on websites — users need to install an extension to do that. As Firefox's market share increases, it will attract more users who may not be as technically savvy, and these users are less likely to go out of their way to search for and install extensions.

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What's next for Firefox

With Mozilla's fast-paced development, it won't be long before another version of Firefox is in the works. So, what can we expect in the upcoming release? Starting with the current version, there’s plenty of room for expansion. Firefox already supports a variety of next-gen Web technologies, such as HTML 5, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Theora, microformats, and animated portable network graphics (APNG). These formats will likely revolutionize how web pages function as they become more widely adopted.

Mozilla is also developing support for computers with multitouch capabilities. Multitouch refers to interfaces like touchscreens on smartphones and trackpads on laptops that can detect multiple fingers simultaneously and respond to special commands. Once available, the Firefox multitouch API will enable web developers to add new interactive features to websites, enhancing user experience. The first version of Firefox with multitouch support may arrive as early as version 3.6 [source: Gilbertson].

Although Firefox debuted in June 2009, by the following July, there were already leaked images of Firefox 3.7. While beta software specs are always subject to change, Firefox 3.7 could introduce a sleek, glassy see-through interface. Mozilla's product roadmap includes releases for versions 3.6 and 3.7, and it has already outlined some features for Firefox 4.0, which is expected to launch in October or November 2010. Planned upgrades include multitouch support, enhanced interface, faster JavaScript, improved page load speed, and bookmark synchronization—currently managed through third-party plugins. Furthermore, Firefox may adopt features from the rising browser competitor, Google Chrome: browser tabs might have their own processing threads, meaning that if one website encounters problems, it won't crash the entire session [source: Brandrick].

If you're interested in diving deeper into Mozilla Firefox and related technologies, head over to the next page for more information.