I'm a Web Developer by profession.
Today I come across the new term 'stock browser' which I've never heard before in my 10 years of web development experience.
The text around the term 'stock browser' is as below :
A shim differs from a polyfill, which implements a new API that is notsupported by the stock browser as shipped.
From the above statement I didn't get at all the meaning and context of using the term 'stock browser'.
Can someone experienced from Web Developer community explain the meaning of the term 'stock browser' with proper context to me?
Thank You.
Note : If you want I can provide you the link from where I got the quoted text.
Best Answer
A "stock" item is the item without any add-ons.
In general, when an item is referred to as "stock" in English, it refers to the item being in an unmodified state, exactly as it was when it was shipped from the manufacturer. For instance, a "stock car" is a car that hasn't had any aftermarket accessories added to it. A "stock rifle" is a rifle that hasn't had any additional devices such as sights, illuminators, or sound suppressors added to it. A "stock browser" is a browser without any add-on or extensions applied to it. Note that you may not see this exact phrasing; if an online listing for an item lists its condition as "stock", this is what it means.
I assume it means the often pretty shoddy browsers that come with standard (handheld) devices, but users a quick to install their preferred browsers instead of.
Internet Explorer 11 or the Samsung Internet Browser spring to mind.