Internet Explorer shell
Encyclopedia
An Internet Explorer
shell is any computer software
that uses the Trident
rendering engine
of the Internet Explorer
web browser
. Although the term "Trident shell" is probably more accurate for describing these applications (including Internet Explorer itself), the term "Internet Explorer shell", or "IE shell", is in common parlance. This means that these software products are not actually full-fledged web browsers in their own right but are simply an alternate interface for Internet Explorer; they share the same limitations of the Trident engine, typically contain the same bugs as IE browsers based on the same version of Trident, and any security vulnerabilities found in IE will generally apply to these browsers as well. Strictly speaking, programs that use Tasman (layout engine)
, used in Internet Explorer 5
for Apple Mac, are also IE shells, but, because Internet Explorer for Mac
was discontinued in 2003, and Tasman was further developed independent of IE, it tends to be thought of as a separate layout engine.
components for browsing, adding features such as popup blocking and tabbed browsing. For example, MSN Explorer
can be considered an Internet Explorer shell, in that it is essentially an expansion of IE with added MSN
-related functionality. A more complete list of Trident-based browsers can be found under the list of web browsers.
, Winamp
, and RealPlayer
, use the rendering engine to provide a limited-functionality "mini" browser within their own user interfaces.
On Windows, components of Internet Explorer are also used in Windows Explorer
, the operating system shell that provides the default file system
browsing and desktop services. For example, folder views in Windows Explorer on versions of Windows prior to Windows XP
utilize IE's DHTML processing abilities; they are essentially little web pages. Active Desktop
technology is another example.
The Trident engine was, until Outlook 2007, also used to render HTML
portions of email messages in Microsoft Outlook
and Outlook Express
email clients (Outlook 2007 now uses Microsoft Word
to render HTML e-mail). This integration, while convenient, is an often-exploited "back door," since the Internet Explorer components make available more functionality to the HTML code than some feel should be permitted in the context of email messages, and Outlook and Outlook Express have, historically, not done enough to prevent malicious code from taking advantage of that functionality. The latest updates for Outlook Express, which require Windows XP
and are distributed with Service Pack 2, are intended to improve this situation. Outlook 2003 already includes many of the updates.
While all of these programs can customize Internet Explorer's user interface and extend the feature set, they cannot modify the rendering engine, and are therefore subject to many of the same benefits and vulnerabilities of IE, including security holes and issues with rendering.
HTA is a method developed by Microsoft to open up HTML files in a window free of navigation and other interface elements.
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
shell is any computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
that uses the Trident
Trident (layout engine)
Trident is the name of the layout engine for the Microsoft Windows version of Internet Explorer.It was first introduced with the release of Internet Explorer version 4.0 in October 1997; it has been steadily upgraded and remains in use today...
rendering engine
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
of the Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
. Although the term "Trident shell" is probably more accurate for describing these applications (including Internet Explorer itself), the term "Internet Explorer shell", or "IE shell", is in common parlance. This means that these software products are not actually full-fledged web browsers in their own right but are simply an alternate interface for Internet Explorer; they share the same limitations of the Trident engine, typically contain the same bugs as IE browsers based on the same version of Trident, and any security vulnerabilities found in IE will generally apply to these browsers as well. Strictly speaking, programs that use Tasman (layout engine)
Tasman (layout engine)
Tasman was a layout engine developed by Microsoft for inclusion in the Macintosh version of Internet Explorer 5. Tasman was an attempt to improve support for web standards, as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium. At the time of its release, Tasman was seen as the layout engine with the best...
, used in Internet Explorer 5
Internet Explorer 5
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 was a graphical web browser released in March 1999 by Microsoft, primarily for Microsoft Windows, but initially with versions available for Apple Macintosh, Sun Solaris, and HP-UX. It was one of the main participants of the first browser war...
for Apple Mac, are also IE shells, but, because Internet Explorer for Mac
Internet Explorer for Mac
Internet Explorer for Mac was a proprietary web browser developed by Microsoft for the Macintosh platform. Initial versions were developed from the same code base as Internet Explorer for Windows...
was discontinued in 2003, and Tasman was further developed independent of IE, it tends to be thought of as a separate layout engine.
IE shells
These applications supplement some of Internet Explorer's usual user interfaceUser interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
components for browsing, adding features such as popup blocking and tabbed browsing. For example, MSN Explorer
MSN Explorer
MSN Explorer is a web browser, developed by Microsoft, that integrates MSN and Windows Live features such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger with a web browser. To make use of these services requires a Windows Live ID...
can be considered an Internet Explorer shell, in that it is essentially an expansion of IE with added MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
-related functionality. A more complete list of Trident-based browsers can be found under the list of web browsers.
- AOL ExplorerAOL ExplorerAOL Explorer, previously known as AOL Browser, is a graphical web browser based on the Microsoft Trident layout engine and was released by AOL. In July 2005, AOL launched AOL Explorer as a free download and as an optional download with AIM version 5.9. AOL Explorer supports tabbed...
(discontinued) - Avant BrowserAvant BrowserAvant Browser is a freeware web browser from a Chinese programmer named Anderson Che, which unites the Trident layout engine built into Windows with an interface intended to be more feature-rich, flexible and ergonomic than Microsoft's Internet Explorer . It runs on Windows 2000 and above,...
- Deepnet ExplorerDeepnet ExplorerDeepnet Explorer is a web browser created by Deepnet Security for the Microsoft Windows platform. The most recent version is 1.5.3 which was Released October 19, 2006. Developed in Britain, Deepnet Explorer gained early recognition both for its use of anti-phishing tools and the inclusion of a...
- Enigma BrowserEnigma BrowserThe Enigma Browser was previously a shareware Internet Explorer shell but is now freeware. It uses Internet Explorer's Trident layout engine. It was made for Windows XP,2000,ME,98.It presently incorporates many features including:*Popup Killer...
- GreenBrowserGreenBrowserGreenBrowser is a freeware web browser based on Internet Explorer's core. GreenBrowser based upon the Trident rendering engine used in Internet Explorer....
- IE TabIE TabIE Tab is an extension for the Mozilla Firefox, Flock, Google Chrome and SeaMonkey web browsers which allows users to view pages using the Internet Explorer layout engine. This may be useful for viewing pages that only work in Internet Explorer without exiting the user's preferred web browser...
add-on that allows to view pages through the Internet Explorer layout engine and can be used in conjunction with various browsers, if required - LunascapeLunascape (web browser)Lunascape is a web browser developed by Lunascape Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. It is unique in that it contains three rendering engines: Gecko , WebKit , and Trident...
- MaxthonMaxthonMaxthon is a free web browser for Microsoft Windows. The latest release, Maxthon 3, supports both the Trident and the WebKit rendering engines....
(formerly MyIE2) - MenuBoxMenuBoxMenuBox is a web browser developed by Cloanto Corporation. It is based on the Trident layout engine, to which it adds an extended document object model and event intercepts to achieve special functionality for use in contexts such as AutoRun projects, wrapping of web-based services, chromeless...
- MSN ExplorerMSN ExplorerMSN Explorer is a web browser, developed by Microsoft, that integrates MSN and Windows Live features such as Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger with a web browser. To make use of these services requires a Windows Live ID...
- NeoPlanetNeoPlanetNeoPlanet was a graphical web browser released in 1998 and was based on the Trident rendering engine . It was designed to be a customizable browser with content channels and search facilities, as well as email and download management...
(discontinued) - NetCaptorNetCaptorNetCaptor was an Internet Explorer shell that was in development from 1997 to 2005. It used the Trident layout engine of Internet Explorer in conjunction with additional programmed features to create an alternate browsing experience with a tab-based interface and an expanded feature set...
(discontinued) - Netscape BrowserNetscape BrowserNetscape Browser is the name of a proprietary Windows web browser published by AOL, but developed by Mercurial Communications. It is the eighth major release in name of the Netscape series of browsers, originally produced by the defunct Netscape Communications Corporation.While Netscape Browser's...
8.x (used both Trident and GeckoGecko (layout engine)Gecko is a free and open source layout engine used in many applications developed by Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation , as well as in many other open source software projects....
) (discontinued) - SleipnirSleipnir (web browser)Sleipnir is a tabbed web browser developed by Fenrir Inc. The browser is known for its high level of user customization and is one of the few browsers to still support Windows 98...
- SlimBrowserSlimBrowserSlimBrowser is a tabbed multiple-site web browser from FlashPeak that uses the Microsoft Trident layout engine. It incorporates a large collection of features like built-in popup killer, skinned window frame, form filler, site group, quick-search, auto login, hidden sites, built-in commands and...
- Tencent Traveler
- TomeRaiderTomeRaiderTomeRaider is an ebook reader and cross-platform reference viewer for handheld devices devices and Microsoft Windows PC. TomeRaider is created by Yadabyte, a UK software and web development company...
- UltraBrowserUltraBrowserUltraBrowser is a graphical web browser developed by UltraBrowser.com Inc, based upon the Trident layout engine, part of Internet Explorer since IE version 4. The program is lightweight and features an advanced GUI which features various links, channels and search facilities. The latest version was...
(discontinued) - WebbIEWebbIEWebbIE is a freeware web browser designed for screen reader users. It re-presents web pages as text with a caret, allowing users to use their existing screen reader or assistive technology to read it, but is not self-voicing, unlike Home Page Reader.-History:WebbIE was developed as a student...
- Yahoo!Yahoo!Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
Browser (or partnership browsers e.g. "AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
Yahoo! Browser"; "Verizon Yahoo! Browser"; "BTBT GroupBT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
Yahoo! Browser" etc.).
Non-browser shells
Other applications that are not primarily for web browsing, such as Intuit's Quicken and QuickBooks, AOLAOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
, Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
, and RealPlayer
RealPlayer
RealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...
, use the rendering engine to provide a limited-functionality "mini" browser within their own user interfaces.
On Windows, components of Internet Explorer are also used in Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer
This article is about the Windows file system browser. For the similarly named web browser, see Internet ExplorerWindows Explorer is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface...
, the operating system shell that provides the default file system
File system
A file system is a means to organize data expected to be retained after a program terminates by providing procedures to store, retrieve and update data, as well as manage the available space on the device which contain it. A file system organizes data in an efficient manner and is tuned to the...
browsing and desktop services. For example, folder views in Windows Explorer on versions of Windows prior to Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
utilize IE's DHTML processing abilities; they are essentially little web pages. Active Desktop
Active Desktop
Active Desktop was a feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0's optional Windows Desktop Update that allows the user to add HTML content to the desktop, along with some other features. This function was intended to be installed on the then-current Windows 95 operating system...
technology is another example.
The Trident engine was, until Outlook 2007, also used to render HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
portions of email messages in Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
and Outlook Express
Outlook Express
Outlook Express is an email and news client that is included with Internet Explorer versions 4.0 through 6.0. As such, it is also bundled with several versions of Microsoft Windows, from Windows 98 to Windows Server 2003, and is available for Windows 3.x, Windows NT 3.51, Windows 95 and Mac OS 9...
email clients (Outlook 2007 now uses Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is a word processor designed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS , the Apple Macintosh , the AT&T Unix PC , Atari ST , SCO UNIX,...
to render HTML e-mail). This integration, while convenient, is an often-exploited "back door," since the Internet Explorer components make available more functionality to the HTML code than some feel should be permitted in the context of email messages, and Outlook and Outlook Express have, historically, not done enough to prevent malicious code from taking advantage of that functionality. The latest updates for Outlook Express, which require Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
and are distributed with Service Pack 2, are intended to improve this situation. Outlook 2003 already includes many of the updates.
While all of these programs can customize Internet Explorer's user interface and extend the feature set, they cannot modify the rendering engine, and are therefore subject to many of the same benefits and vulnerabilities of IE, including security holes and issues with rendering.
HTA is a method developed by Microsoft to open up HTML files in a window free of navigation and other interface elements.
IE extensions
In addition to programs using Internet Explorer’s rendering engine, there are also programs that add features to Internet Explorer. The methods they use to add features can blur the distinction between a shell, plug-in, or toolbar. Examples include the following:- HttpWatch: A traffic monitoring and debugging tool for Internet Explorer that displays information about headers, cookies, redirection and compression.
- IEWatch: Provides diagnostic panes for monitoring HTTP traffic, HTTP search and filtering, HTTP performance charts and the ability to view the DOM and quickly modify the HTML, style sheets and scripts of any web page to test code.
- IE7ProIE7ProIE7Pro is an add-on for Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, and 9 that aims to enhance the feature set provided by the browser. IE7Pro adds features such as tab enhancement, an ad blocker and flash blocker, mouse gestures, inline search, privacy enhancements, online bookmark service, Greasemonkey-like user...
: Adds extra features such as adAdvertisingAdvertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
blocking, scripting, spell checkingSpell checkerIn computing, a spell checker is an application program that flags words in a document that may not be spelled correctly. Spell checkers may be stand-alone capable of operating on a block of text, or as part of a larger application, such as a word processor, email client, electronic dictionary,...
and “Flash blocking” (the ability to block Adobe FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
animations/components on web pages). - Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar, now an integral part of Internet Explorer 8, helps users design, debug and tweak web pages.
- iMacrosIMacrosiMacros is an extension for the Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer web browsers which adds record and replay functionality similar to that found in web testing and form filler software. The macros can be combined and controlled via JavaScript. Demo macros and JavaScript code...
: A web macro recorder enhancement that adds record and replay features as well as Visual Basic for ApplicationsVisual Basic for ApplicationsVisual Basic for Applications is an implementation of Microsoft's event-driven programming language Visual Basic 6 and its associated integrated development environment , which are built into most Microsoft Office applications...
support to Internet Explorer. - Kimba Kano: Adds a context menu option to do various kinds of web searches for a currently highlighted term.
- PageEngage: An HTTP analysis tool which allows a user to view all HTTP headers, provides a script console for fully interacting with the Document Object Model of Internet Explorer, and additionally provides the user the ability to modify the response content before the browser renders it.
- WebReplay is an IE plug-in for browser automation and web testing. With WebReplay you can fill web forms and automate web applications along with many other activities.