← IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

Browser function: recording history

A list of the URLs of web pages a user has visited, usually with dates, so they can find a page again. The user can clear it.

Part of: IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 5.1 The Internet and the World Wide Web — Module 21

Understanding Browser function: recording history in IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1

What it does: A history entry holds the URL of a visited page and the date, which lets the user find the page again. Clearing history deletes the record of visited pages. Bookmarks would save pages, not hide them. The browser stores history on the user's own device. The web server does not keep this list for her.

Common mistakes: A browser history grows as pages are visited, so it needs a list. A tuple () cannot be added to, so append would fail. It should be history = []. Lists have no add method. To record a visited URL at the end of the history list you use append, so it should be history.append("a.com").

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 464–476) and word search (Modules 464–489).

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Learning

Duo

What does a browser's history record?

The passwords for every website on the internetThe URLs of web pages the user has visited

Matches

History stores the passwords and text typed into every web page

↓

History only records the URLs (and dates) of pages visited. It does not store passwords or the content typed into pages.

Applying

Meanings

Term

browser history

Meaning

A list of the URLs of web pages a user has visited, usually with dates, so they can find a page again. The user can clear it.

Practice

BROWSER HISTORY

Testing

Gaps

.add(url, date)

Check Answer

Spots

1history = ()

2url = "www.bbc.co.uk"

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Quick Questions

1. What does a browser's history record?

A. The URLs of web pages the user has visited ✓

B. The passwords for every website on the internet

History is a list of visited page URLs, so the user can find a page again later.

2. Mia read a page about DNS yesterday and cannot remember its address. Which browser function helps her find it?

A. Browser history ✓

B. The refresh button

History lists pages visited earlier, usually grouped by date, so she can look for the page she saw yesterday.

3. Browser history usually shows pages together with which extra detail?

A. The date they were visited ✓

B. The IP address of the user's router

History entries are normally organised by date, which makes an earlier page easier to find.

4. Which statement about clearing history is correct?

A. It cannot be removed once it has been recorded

B. The user can clear it to delete the list of visited pages ✓

Users are able to clear their browser history, which removes the list of visited URLs.

5. Noah shares a computer with his brother and does not want him to see which sites he visited. What should Noah do?

A. Add every page to bookmarks

B. Clear the browser history ✓

Clearing history deletes the record of visited pages. Bookmarks would save pages, not hide them.

Match the Pairs

browser history → A list of the URLs of pages you have visited, usually with the dates, so you can find them again

Clear browsing data → A browser option that deletes the saved list of visited pages from the history

The browser stores each visited URL with the date, so you can find a page you saw last week → history: 12/03 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news

A user can remove the record of visited pages so other people using the device cannot see them → Clear history: delete all entries

History stores the passwords and text typed into every web page → History only records the URLs (and dates) of pages visited. It does not store passwords or the content typed into pages.

Clearing history stops the browser from loading any web pages → Clearing history only deletes the list of visited pages. The browser still works and can load pages as normal.

Key Term

browser history

A list of the URLs of web pages a user has visited, usually with dates, so they can find a page again. The user can clear it.

Fill in the Blanks

1. history.add(url, date)

Hint: Type the name of the list the browser keeps of pages the user has visited.

2. history.add(url, date)

Hint: Type the variable holding the web address of the page that was visited.

3. history.add(url, date)

Hint: Type the value stored with each address so the user can see when the page was visited.

4. results = history.search("shop")

Hint: Type the method name used to look through the list to find a page seen earlier.

5. history.clear()

Hint: Type the method name that empties the list when the user wants to remove their browsing record.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A history = ()

B url = "www.bbc.co.uk"

C history.append(url)

Line A — A browser history grows as pages are visited, so it needs a list. A tuple () cannot be added to, so append would fail. It should be history = [].

Question 2

A history = []

B history.add("a.com")

C print(history)

Line B — Lists have no add method. To record a visited URL at the end of the history list you use append, so it should be history.append("a.com").

Question 3

A history = ["a.com", "b.com"]

B for url in history:

C print(url

Line C — The closing bracket is missing, so the line is a syntax error. Showing the list of visited pages needs print(url).

Question 4

A history = ["a.com", "b.com"]

B search = "b.com"

C if search in history:

D print(Found it again)

E else:

F print("Not visited")

Line D — The message is missing its quote marks, so Python treats the words as code and gives an error. It should be print("Found it again").

Question 5

A history = ["a.com", "b.com"]

B print(len(history))

C history.pop()

D print(len(history))

Line C — pop() removes only the last page. Clearing history removes every visited page, so it should be history.clear().

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