Internet Explorer is a web browser developed by Microsoft and was first released in 1995. It became one of the most widely used browsers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, known for its integration with the Windows operating system and support for various web standards. Over the years, Internet Explorer faced criticism for security vulnerabilities and performance issues, leading to a decline in its popularity. In 2015, Microsoft introduced Microsoft Edge as its successor, marking the end of Internet Explorer's dominance in the browser market.