Navigator bundled fast rendering, SSL for secure shopping, and cookies for session state — the stack behind early e-commerce and portal sites. Built by many of the MosaicAn early graphical web browser — helped popularize the World Wide Web beyond researchers. authors, it quickly became the browser most people associated with "the internet" before MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.'s response.

NetscapeA commercial web browser company — Navigator defined the early consumer web. turned the web into a product category and a public-company story.

It set de-facto web features (SSL, cookies, rapid releases) that every competitor had to match.