The Mozilla Firefox browser by right is considered one of the best programs for web browsing. Gecko - the multifunction "engine" extended on the terms of free licenses is the cornerstone of "a fiery fox".
Instruction
1. The Firefox browser consists of the components written in the C and C languages ++. The main component of the software package - "engine" Gecko - consists entirely of the code written on the second of these languages. The most part of source texts both "engine", and browser in general, is subject to so-called threefold licensing. It means that the person wishing to use practices of programmers has the right independently to select the most convenient for it the license: MPL, GPL or LGPL. But one business - a program code, and another - trademarks. Conditions of their use suit not all developers therefore some of them should rename the browser. For example, in Debian it carries the name IceWeasel - "ice polecat".
2. The Gecko component supports not only a classical language of a marking of HTML4, but also a set of new open web standards. Among them - XHTML, HTML5 (partially), CSS, JavaScript, XML. Thanks to it the Firefox browser the third after Opera and Chrome passed Acid3 test with assessment 100. However, there was it after canceling of validation of drawing of fonts in SVG files.
3. But "engine" is engaged only in code decoding of the page and its conversion to the image which is seen on the screen by the user. The program, whether it be the browser or the highly specialized application, interacts, on the one hand, with the user, providing a dialog with it through the system of the menu, and with another - with "engine", transmitting it commands through the interface, the called API (application programming interface), and through it obtaining in reply information which is required to be displayed. Thanks to it, on the basis of Gecko it is executed not only several other browsers, but also, for example, the application for processing of photos of Picasa.
4. Firefox would not be oneself if it did not support plug-ins. It concerns not only Java and Flash, but also the small additions developed especially for this browser and intended for implementation of the most different actions - from demonstration of a weather forecast before speech synthesis. Interaction with them is carried out also at the level of API. Programmers write plug-ins in different languages, including JavaScript and XUL (version XML). The manager of additions who is built in the browser allows to add and delete plug-ins quickly.
5. Thanks to the fact that Firefox is completely written in the C and C languages ++ it is cross-platform. It means that it can be compiled for work on different operating systems. Among them - not only Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and Windows, but also such exotic software platforms as RISC OS or HP-UX.