Introducing web search monitors

What is a favicon?

The small icon a browser shows in the tab bar, bookmarks, and history for a given site, the most-overlooked piece of brand identity on the web.

A favicon is referenced from the page's <head> via <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico">, with optional declarations for sizes (16x16, 32x32, 192x192) and formats (ICO, PNG, SVG). Modern browsers also use favicons in tab groups, share sheets, PWA install prompts, and OS-level shortcuts.

SVG favicons (now supported in every modern browser) let a single 1KB file scale across every context. PNG favicons at multiple sizes are still common and probably safer for legacy support; the old .ico format remains the universal fallback.

For Context.dev, favicons are part of the brand fingerprint we extract, the favicon often holds a simpler, monochrome version of the logo that's exactly what dashboards and CRM avatars want.

All glossary terms

How Context.dev uses favicon

Endpoints in the Context.dev API where this concept comes up directly.

FAQ

What size should a favicon be?

At minimum 32x32 PNG; ideally also 192x192 PNG for Android home screens, plus a single SVG for everything modern. Skip the .ico unless you need IE11 support.

How do I add a favicon?

Drop the file in your public root, then add <link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="/favicon.svg"> to your HTML head. Most static-site frameworks do this automatically.

Why doesn't my favicon update?

Browsers cache favicons aggressively. Hard-refresh, or fingerprint the filename (favicon.v2.svg) and update the link.

Related terms

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