Understanding Browser History

Each browser window maintains its own navigation history. If you open a window and enter two requests and they are both successful, they are saved in history in the order requested. After entering the last (second) request and it displays results, and in the Navigation Bar you press the...

Back button, the browser loads the previous request. This is done by loading the file saved for that request, not by sending another request to the web (if a web request).

Forward button, nothing happens. There is no request after the current one.

Refresh button, it sends the request again. If it is a web request, it attempts to contact the website again to reload the web page. If it is a file request, it attempts to reload the file.

Stop button, nothing happens. Once a request is completed, this button has no effect.

History never deletes requests, it only adds. For example, if two requests are made and the Back button is pressed, history loads the previous request. If a new request is made, this third request, is now placed after the first request. There are now three requests in history with the third being in the second position. The second (or last) request, remains last.

The only way to clear a window's history is to close it.