Is Google a search engine or web browser?

Google is the most widely used search engine web browsers use to search for information online. However, Google has its own browser called Google Chrome.

Are search engines and web browsers the same thing?

No. A search engine is a website where you can type and search for anything you need information about. The results come as a list of URLs, called SERPs (search engine result pages), from where you select the website you want to visit. On the other hand, a web browser is a software application used to access the internet.

Do I need both Chrome and Google?

No, you can have one or both at a time. Browsers do not limit you on which search engine you can use. For example, you can use Chrome with another search engine, such as Bing, or Google with a different mainstream web browser like Firefox.

Your a-z Booklet to Web Browsers and Their Engines

Nwachukwu Glory - Tech Expert

Last updated: November 16, 2023

Read time: 20 minutes

This is an estimated reading time to let you know how long it will take you to read all the content on this particular PrivacySavvy.com page. However, it has a sneak peek, easy guide steps, and/or a quick list providing quick in-page navigations and easily-found answers if desired.

This detailed guide will clear all your confusion around web browsers and the engines powering them. Dive in to discover that really matters.

Sneak peek at web browser engines

A plethora of browsers are now available, including the popular Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Safari, with a similar purpose of granting access to the online world. Yet, they all appear differently because of the engines that empower a specific browser. A web browser engine creates a user interface, by interpreting specific codes of the website, and a web browser rendering engine responsible for the visual look and feel of web pages. These together work to create variations among the browsers. How do they do that? Let’s dig out in this guide.

Web browsers are the most commonly used PC, Mobile, and tablet applications. But most people do not know about the engines that power them. Most people swap from one web browser to another; what happens when you do that?

When you switch from one browser to another, you change the browser engine alongside a rendering engine. Web browser rendering engines and browser engines carry out two distinctive operations.

The Web browser engine manages communication between the user interface. In contrast, the web browser rendering engine is responsible for displaying/rendering web pages.

However, there is another player in the mix, which is the dynamic JavaScript engine. JavaScript engine assists the web browser engine alongside the rendering engine to get the raw code from web pages and convert it into a viewable form.

Did you know that the most significant factor determining the success of a web browser is the engine that powers it? Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox browsers have sophisticated engines.