The Web's Data Delivery: A Complex Network Of Paths

The World Wide Web (WWW) is an information system that enables content sharing over the internet. It is a collection of web pages that can be accessed through the internet. The web pages are stored on computers and can be requested by other computers. The web pages are interlinked using hypertext links and can be accessed over the internet. The web uses Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to transfer data. The web pages are viewed in a web browser, such as Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox.

Hyperlinks

The HTML tag defines a hyperlink. The most important attribute of the element is the href attribute, which indicates the link's destination. The link text is the part that will be visible to the reader. Clicking on the link text will send the reader to the specified URL address.

For example, the following code will create a link to the W3Schools website:

Html

Visit W3Schools.com!

By default, links will appear as underlined text in blue if they have not been visited, purple if they have been visited, and red if they are active. However, links can be styled with CSS to achieve a different look.

The target attribute specifies where to open the linked document. It can have the following values:

• _self - Opens the document in the same window/tab as it was clicked (default)
• _blank - Opens the document in a new window or tab
• _parent - Opens the document in the parent frame
• _top - Opens the document in the full body of the window

For example, the following code will open the linked document in a new browser window or tab:

Html

Visit W3Schools!

In addition to web pages, hyperlinks can also link to files on a computer, email addresses, or specific locations in a document. Hyperlinks can be created and edited using software such as Microsoft 365, which automatically converts addresses into hyperlinks.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

HTTP is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. It is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, where hypertext documents include hyperlinks to other resources that the user can easily access. HTTP is designed to be simple and human-readable, even with the added complexity introduced in HTTP/2 by encapsulating HTTP messages into frames.

HTTP is a stateless protocol, meaning there is no link between two requests being successively carried out on the same connection. However, it is not sessionless, as HTTP cookies allow the use of stateful sessions. HTTP is also cacheable, meaning that how documents are cached can be controlled by HTTP. The server can instruct proxies and clients about what to cache and for how long, and the client can instruct intermediate cache proxies to ignore the stored document.

HTTP is one of the most ubiquitous protocols on the internet and is used by over 85% of websites. It is also one of the few protocols that bridge the gap between networking and application development groups, containing information used by both in the delivery and development of web-based applications.

Web browsers

Some of the most popular web browsers used today include Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer. Each browser has its unique features and capabilities, but they all serve the fundamental purpose of enabling users to access and interact with web content.

In addition to traditional web browsing, browsers also support web applications, which are web pages that function as application software. These applications can provide dynamic and interactive experiences, often utilising scripting languages like JavaScript to create engaging and responsive user interfaces.

Web servers

A web server is a computer system that processes requests via HTTP, the basic network protocol used to distribute information on the World Wide Web. The term can refer to the hardware, the software, or both working together.

On the hardware side, a web server is a computer that stores web server software and a website's component files, such as HTML documents, images, CSS stylesheets, and JavaScript files. It connects to the internet and supports physical data interchange with other devices connected to the web.

On the software side, a web server includes several parts that control how web users access hosted files. At a minimum, this is an HTTP server, which is software that understands URLs (web addresses) and HTTP (the protocol your browser uses to view web pages). An HTTP server can be accessed through the domain names of the websites it stores, and it delivers the content of these hosted websites to the end user's device.

A web server program plays the role of a server in a client-server model by implementing one or more versions of the HTTP protocol, often including the HTTPS secure variant and other features and extensions that are considered useful for its planned usage.

The hardware used to run a web server can vary according to the volume of requests it needs to handle. At the low end are embedded systems, such as a router that runs a small web server as its configuration interface. A high-traffic website might handle requests with hundreds of servers that run on racks of high-speed computers.

The complexity and efficiency of a web server program may vary depending on common features implemented, common tasks performed, performance and scalability level aimed for, software model and techniques adopted to achieve the desired performance and scalability level, and the target hardware and category of usage.

A web server can be either incorporated into the OS and executed in kernel space, or it can be executed in user space (like other regular applications). Web servers that run in kernel mode can have direct access to kernel resources and so, in theory, can be faster than those running in user mode. However, there are disadvantages to running a web server in kernel mode, such as difficulties in software development and debugging, and run-time critical errors that may lead to serious problems in the OS kernel.

Most website developers won't need to create an application server from scratch because there are so many off-the-shelf solutions, many of which are highly configurable. However, if you do need to create your own server, you will probably want to use a server framework, leveraging its existing code and libraries, and extending just the parts that you need to meet your use case.

To publish a website, you need either a static or a dynamic web server. A static web server, or stack, consists of a computer (hardware) with an HTTP server (software). It is called "static" because the server sends its hosted files as-is to your browser. A dynamic web server consists of a static web server plus extra software, most commonly an application server and a database. It is called "dynamic" because the application server updates the hosted files before sending content to your browser via the HTTP server.

Web surfing

To start web surfing, you need a device such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet with an internet connection and a web browser. You can then type in the URL of a website and press enter to begin. Popular web browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera, each offering a different experience.

While web surfing, you can use online aggregation services like Reddit and Pinterest, or search engines like Google, to find interesting content. It's important to stay safe while surfing the web by keeping your browser and operating system up to date, using strong passwords, and being cautious when clicking on unfamiliar links or downloading files.

In summary, web surfing is an enjoyable activity that allows people to explore the vast collection of information and content available on the World Wide Web, which is just one part of the broader internet.

Frequently asked questions