Netscape Navigator
A web browser first sold in 1994 that was the dominant browser of the 1990s.
Netscape Communications Corporation first developed and sold Netscape Navigator in 1994. It was the company's flagship product. It was the dominant web browser by usage share in the 1990s.
The company folded the browser into its Netscape Communicator suite in 1997. Its user base had nearly vanished by around 2003. AOL revived the name for Netscape Navigator 9 in 2007 and canceled development on December 28, 2007.
Why it matters
Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with Windows, and a court ruled that bundling was a monopolistic and illegal practice. The decision came too late for Netscape, because Internet Explorer had already become dominant.
Key facts
- First sold in 1994.
- Dominant browser by usage in the 1990s.
- Folded into Netscape Communicator in 1997.
- Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with Windows.
- AOL canceled Navigator 9 on December 28, 2007.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Netscape Navigator", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Navigator, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, "Netscape", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.