Technology Term: Plug-ins

The Internet is an astonishing tool, but like many tools, it can work better if other tools are utilized with it. These other, additional tools are called plug-ins. Let's examine what a plug-in is, and how they all help us utilize the Internet more effectively.

What is a Plug-In?
Basically, a plug-in is a supplemental application that allows a browser to perform more functions. These applications are very useful, as they automatically run in the browser’s code instead of opening another window. They also allow you to view content on a website that you may not have been able to otherwise, because your browser may lack the capabilities on its own.

There are hundreds of plug-ins now available to augment these capabilities. They include: Adobe Acrobat, Flash Player, Microsoft Silverlight, Java, and QuickTime Player.

Where Do Plug-Ins Originate From?
Plug-ins originated in the very beginning of the World Wide Web, where the original HTML code wasn’t prepared to handle more advanced tasks like video or online game content. In order to get this problematic content to work properly, a plug-in helps the browser in processing it.

This approach is widely used in our era, but some of the inherent weaknesses that plug-ins can have are spurring the advancement and development of improved methods. For example: for the longest time, plug-ins have been technically separate from the browsers that they interact with, but now there is a concentrated effort to integrate the plug-in more closely with the other content on the page.

Isn’t This the Same as a Browser Extension?
No. The vital difference is the amount of information that either can access. While a plug-in works the same way, regardless of the browser being used, they are specifically added to an individual page. This means that they can only be used on that given page. An extension, however, is incorporated into the browser itself, and can technically be used on any page the browser navigates to.

If you have any more questions about Plug-ins, call Macro Systems at 703-359-9211 today!