Differences between Firefox and Internet Explorer

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Firefox vs. Internet Explorer

Firefox and Internet Explorer (IE) are two web browsers that played pivotal roles in the history of the internet. Internet Explorer was created by Microsoft in 1995 and became the dominant browser, reaching a peak usage share of 95% by 2003.[1] Firefox, developed by the Mozilla community, was first released in 2004 as an open-source alternative.[2] The browsers differed significantly in their development philosophy, technical foundations, and approach to security and standards, which ultimately led to different long-term outcomes. Microsoft officially retired Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, while Firefox continues to be actively developed.[3]

Comparison Table

Category Firefox Internet Explorer
Developer Mozilla Foundation Microsoft
License Open-source[4] Proprietary[5]
Layout Engine Gecko[6][7] Trident[7]
Platform Availability Windows, macOS, Linux Primarily Windows; past versions for Mac and UNIX were discontinued
Customization Extensive via themes and extensions (add-ons) Limited, primarily through ActiveX controls
Web Standards Generally high compliance Historically poor compliance, often requiring web developers to add workarounds
Security Generally considered more secure, with features like a pop-up blocker and no support for ActiveX. Plagued by numerous security vulnerabilities over its lifespan.[1]
Development Status Active Discontinued (Replaced by Microsoft Edge)[1][3]
Venn diagram for Differences between Firefox and Internet Explorer
Venn diagram comparing Differences between Firefox and Internet Explorer


Technical and philosophical differences

A core distinction between the two browsers was their underlying software license and development model. Firefox is free and open-source software, developed by a community of programmers and owned by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. In contrast, Internet Explorer was proprietary software developed and controlled exclusively by Microsoft. This difference was reflected in their layout engines; Firefox uses the open-source Gecko engine, while IE used the proprietary Trident engine.[7]

Firefox was designed to be cross-platform from its early days, with consistent support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Internet Explorer, while having early versions for Mac and UNIX, was primarily a Windows-only browser, and support for other platforms was eventually dropped.

Features and security

Firefox gained popularity for its focus on security, speed, and customization. It offered features like tabbed browsing and a pop-up blocker from its early versions. Its robust ecosystem of add-ons and extensions allowed users to modify the browser's appearance and functionality extensively. A significant security difference was Firefox's lack of support for ActiveX, a technology used by IE that allowed websites to run programs on the user's computer, but which also created a major vector for malware.

Internet Explorer was frequently criticized for its numerous security vulnerabilities and its slow response to fixing them.[1] Its poor adherence to web standards often forced web developers to write code specifically for IE, hindering the adoption of open, interoperable web technologies. While later versions of Internet Explorer made improvements in standards compliance, the browser's reputation was already damaged.

Discontinuation of Internet Explorer

After years of declining market share to competitors like Firefox and later Google Chrome, Microsoft began to phase out Internet Explorer.[1] In 2015, Microsoft Edge was introduced as its successor.[1] Support for Internet Explorer 11, the final version, officially ended on June 15, 2022.[1][3] Microsoft Edge includes an "IE mode" to provide backward compatibility for legacy websites that still require Internet Explorer's Trident engine.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ref1
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ref2
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ref3
  4. ↑ [1](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/terms/mozilla/) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "opensource" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ [2](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/internet-explorer/end-of-life) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "proprietary" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ref4
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ref5
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