tabbed browsing

A function in a Web browser that hides the current Web page behind a tab and presents a new blank window for continued browsing. All browsers keep track of pages visited, and clicking Back and Forward moves through them. However, after a long period of Web surfing, the pages of most interest are often interspersed between a slew of others. Tabbed browsing creates multiple browsing sessions within the same browser window.

Multiple Browser Windows

Opening multiple browser windows has always been and still is an alternative to tabbed browsing. Users with large monitors and dual monitors often prefer two or more pages on screen at the same time (see desktop).

Tabbed Browsing in Firefox

The top red arrow in this Firefox example shows the tabs that were created by pressing Control-T. Tabbed browsing lets the user quickly switch back and forth to selected Web pages. It avoids having to click back through a long history list of recent pages or keep multiple browser windows open.

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