Computer basics, in plain English · Updated October 1, 2026
You want to visit a website, but someone says “open your browser.” What are you supposed to open? Here is the simple explanation.
The simple answer
A web browser is an app that lets you visit websites. Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox are examples. You can use a browser on a computer, phone, or tablet.
Browser, search engine, and website: three different things
These names often get mixed together. Each has a different job:
- Browser: The app you open to visit websites. Think of it as your way of traveling.
- Search engine: A service that helps you find pages, such as Google Search or Bing. Think of it as a directory.
- Website: The place you visit, such as NoPanicTech. Think of it as your destination.
An example: You open Chrome, search Google for “printer offline,” and choose a NoPanicTech article. Chrome is the browser, Google is the search service, and NoPanicTech is the website.
When someone says “open Google,” they might mean Chrome or the Google Search website. It is fine to ask which one they mean.
The address bar: where to go
Near the top of the browser is a long box called the address bar. It shows the address of the page you are viewing.
You can use it in two ways:
- Go to a known website: Click or tap the bar, replace its contents with nopanictech.com, and press Enter or Go.
- Search for a topic: Type words such as “what is a computer” and press Enter or Go. The browser normally sends those words to its chosen search engine.
A website address tells the browser where to go. A search asks for possible places to visit.
Links: how you move between pages
A link is something you can click or tap to open another page. Links may look like underlined words, a button, or a picture.
Web links usually need one click. You do not need to double-click them. The browser’s Back arrow usually takes you to the page you just left.
Tabs: several pages in one browser
A tab holds an open page. You can have one tab for a recipe and another for your email. Selecting a tab switches the page you are looking at.
Closing a tab closes that page. It does not delete the website or your account. Save anything you are writing before closing it; an unfinished form or message may be lost.
Bookmarks: a shortcut for later
A bookmark saves a page’s address so you can find it again. Many browsers use a star or a bookmark menu to save one.
A bookmark remembers where a page is. It usually does not save a complete offline copy of the page.
Do I need the internet?
You can open the browser app without being online, but loading most websites needs an internet connection. If the browser opens and pages will not load, the connection or the website may be having trouble.
For an important account, use an address you already know or a bookmark you saved from the correct site. A sponsored search result is not proof that a page belongs to the company you want.
Try it yourself
Open your browser, type nopanictech.com in the address bar, and press Enter or Go. Choose an article, then use Back to return. You have just used an address, a link, and the Back button.
Keep learning: What Is a Computer? · What Are Files and Folders? · More plain-English explanations
Pages won’t load? Try our Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet guide.
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