How Does the World Wide Web Work

The World Wide Web (WWW) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a web browser, one can view web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them via hyperlinks.

Behind the Scenes

Behind the scenes, the WWW operates on several key technologies:

• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): The protocol used to transfer data between web browsers and web servers. It defines how web pages are requested and delivered.
• HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The language used to create web pages. It specifies the structure and content of a web page, including text, headings, images, and links.
• DNS (Domain Name System): Translates human-readable domain names (e.g., www.example.com) into IP addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1), which are used by computers to locate web servers.
• Web Servers: Computers that host web pages and respond to requests from web browsers.
• Web Browsers: Software applications that allow users to access and view web pages.

A Simplified Overview

Here's a simplified overview of how the WWW works:

1. When you enter a web address (URL) into a web browser, it sends an HTTP request to the web server associated with that domain name.
2. The web server responds by sending back the requested web page, which is an HTML document.
3. The web browser parses the HTML document and displays the content of the web page on your screen.
4. If the web page contains hyperlinks, you can click on them to navigate to other web pages or sections of the same page.

The Impact of the WWW

The WWW has revolutionized the way we access and share information, connect with others, and conduct business. Its underlying principles and technologies continue to evolve and shape our digital lives.