Are "brifters" integrated brake/shifters? This is my assumption. What is the advantage of bar end shifters over integrated brake/shifters? How do you switch between braking and shifting?

I am contemplating purchase of a Surly LHT in a couple of months and am looking at the stock components and considering if I want to change anything. The bar-end shifters do have me a little nervous (as it did for the Fargo). As a new rider that seems a long way to move my arm to shift.

So what are the advantages, or is it simply a different way to do the same thing? Of course, I have only ridden Stella, and she has mountain bike trigger shifters.

The more I look at the Surly, the more impressed I am by them and especially the Long Haul Trucker