---
id: kb-2026-00100
title: History API
schema_type: TechArticle
category: computer-science
language: en
confidence: medium
last_verified: "2026-05-28"
created_date: "2026-05-22"
generation_method: human_only
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-computer-science-history-api-001
    statement: The History API provides access to a browser tab or frame session history through the history global object.
    source_title: History API - Web APIs | MDN
    source_url: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/History_API
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-computer-science-history-api-002
    statement: >-
      The HTML Standard defines the History interface with navigation methods and methods for pushing or replacing state
      in the session history.
    source_title: HTML Standard - Navigation and session history
    source_url: https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/nav-history-apis.html#the-history-interface
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-computer-science-history-api-003
    statement: MDN documents popstate as the event used when the active history entry changes during browser history traversal.
    source_title: "Window: popstate event - Web APIs | MDN"
    source_url: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/popstate_event
    confidence: medium
completeness: 0.86
known_gaps:
  - This public sample was manually narrowed to source-backed facts on 2026-05-28.
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: HTML Standard - Navigation and session history
    type: standard
    year: 2026
    url: https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/nav-history-apis.html#the-history-interface
    institution: WHATWG
  - title: History API - Web APIs | MDN
    type: documentation
    year: 2026
    url: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/History_API
    institution: Mozilla
  - title: "Window: popstate event - Web APIs | MDN"
    type: documentation
    year: 2026
    url: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/popstate_event
    institution: Mozilla
secondary_sources: []
updated: "2026-05-28"
---

## TL;DR

The History API lets scripts inspect and manipulate the current browsing context's session history. This repair removes implementation-size folklore and keeps the article to the HTML Standard and MDN.

## Core Explanation

Client-side routers use the History API to update URL state without a full navigation. The core operations are moving through session history, adding or replacing state entries, and handling `popstate` when traversal activates another entry.

## Further Reading

- [HTML Standard - Navigation and session history](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/nav-history-apis.html#the-history-interface)
- [History API - Web APIs | MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/History_API)
- [Window: popstate event - Web APIs | MDN](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/popstate_event)