Definition: browser engine

The underlying software that turns HTML pages into the Web page the user sees. A browser engine includes the programming interface (API) and the rendering engine, which converts HTML and JavaScript into text and images for the screen and printer. Also called a "layout engine," a browser engine is also used by email programs that support HTML (most do), as well as other applications that render Web content. Following is a sampling of popular browsers. See API, HTML, JavaScript, HTML email and render.

                     Browser   Rendering
 Browser             Engine     Engine

 Internet Explorer   Trident    Trident 
 AOL Explorer        Trident    Trident 

 Firefox             Gecko      Gecko   

 Safari              Webkit     WebKit  

 Chrome as of V28    Chromium   Blink   
 Chrome up to V27    Chromium   WebKit  

 Edge as of V80      Chromium   Blink   
 Edge up to V79      Microsoft  EdgeHTML

 Opera as of V15     Chromium   Blink   
 Opera up to V14     Opera      Presto  

 Konqueror           KHTML      KHTML   

 Brave               Chromium   Blink   

 Vivaldi             Chromium   Blink   

 Android browsers    Chromium   Blink   
 iOS browsers        Chromium   WebKit  

 Flow                Flow       Flow