Address bar
In a web browser, the address bar (also location bar or URL bar) is a graphical control element that shows the current URL. The user can type a URL into the bar to navigate to a chosen website. In a file browser, it serves the same purpose of navigation, but through the file-system hierarchy. Many address bars offer features like autocomplete and a list of suggestions while the address is being typed in. This auto-completion feature bases its suggestions on the browser's history. Some browsers have keyboard shortcuts to auto-complete an address. These are generally configured by the user on a case-by-case basis. Address bars have been a feature of web browsers since NCSA Mosaic.
Contents
1 Features
1.1 Browser-specific features
2 Address bar implementations
2.1 Google Chrome
2.2 Firefox
2.3 Opera
2.4 Internet Explorer
2.5 Microsoft Edge
3 See also
4 References
Features
For websites using a favicon (a small icon that represents the website), a small icon will generally be present within the address bar, or somewhere nearby. Favicons are specific to websites, thus a generic icon will be displayed if not specified.[1] The address bar is also used, in some browsers, to show the security status of a web page. Various colors and padlock icons may appear if the page is encrypted, and/or to indicate if intended communication is trustworthy and secure.
Some browsers address bars can be used to detect web feeds that can be used to subscribe to pages. The detection of a feed is normally indicated by the RSS icon "
". A variety of other icons may also be present in the address bar if included with a browser extension.
Web browsers often include a feature called Smart Bookmarks. In this feature, the user sets a command that allows for a function (such as searching, editing, or posting) of a website to be expedited. Then, a keyword or term associated with the command is typed into the address bar followed by entering the term afterwards or selecting the command from a list.
Quick searches can also be performed in some browsers by entering a shortcut and search terms in lieu of a URL. For example, by associating the shortcut "w" with Wikipedia, "w cake" can be entered into the address bar to navigate directly to the Wikipedia article for cake. This feature is available in Firefox,[2] Opera and Google Chrome.
Browser-specific features
In Opera and Safari, the address bar can double as a progress bar that indicates how much of the contents of the page has been loaded.
In Google Chrome, the address bar (or "Omnibox") doubles as a search plugin bar which pulls incremental returns for typed phrases from Google Suggest's pre-emptive search. An add-on is also available for Firefox that duplicates this functionality,[3] and newer versions have the capability built-in.[4] This "Omnibox" is also capable of, in addition to the quick search function listed above, interpreting any non-URL phrase typed into it as a search on the user's search engine of choice.[5]
Address bar implementations
The following sections compare address bar widgets for a few well-known web browsers.
Google Chrome
Google Chrome's address bar when visiting the main page of the English Wikipedia as seen from Chrome OS
Firefox
Firefox's address bar when visiting example.com
Firefox's address bar when visiting the English Wikipedia
Firefox's address bar when visiting the Wikimedia Foundation's credit card payment page, which uses an Extended Validation Certificate
Opera
Opera's address bar when visiting the English Wikipedia
Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer 11's address bar when visiting the English Wikipedia
Microsoft Edge
See also
- Combo box
References
^ Apple, Jennifer. "Favicon - How To Create A Favicon.ico". Futura Studios. Retrieved 25 February 2011..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ Hoffman, Rae (10 February 2008). "Creating Firefox Search Bookmarks". Sugarrae™. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ Ajit K. "Omnibox addon". Add-ons for Firefox. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ "Search the web from Address Bar". Firefox Help. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
^ "Use the address bar (omnibox)". Chrome Help. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
