Understanding the World Wide Web

What is the World Wide Web?

A simple terms, the Web is a worldwide collection of information (text, multimedia files, images, and other network services) interconnected via a system of hypertext documents. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) was created as a means for sharing data internationally, instantly, and inexpensively. With hypertext, a word or phrase can contain a link to other text. To achieve this, CERN developed a programming language called HTML, which allows you to easily link to other pages or network services on the Web.

How does the WWW work?

• Web information is stored in documents called web pages . 
• Web pages are files stored on computers called web servers .
• Computers reading the web pages are called web clients .
• Web clients view the pages with a program called a web browser .
• Popular browsers are Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator .

How does a Browser Fetch a Web Page?

• A browser fetches a page from a web server by a request .
• A request is a standard HTTP request containing a page address .
• An address may looks like this: http://www.someone.com/page.htm.

How does a Browser Display a Web Page?

• All web pages contain instructions for display
• The browser displays the page by reading these instructions .
• The most common display instructions are called HTML tags .
• HTML tags look like this <p>This is a Paragraph</p>.

What is a Web Server?

• The collection of all your web pages is called your web site .
• To let others view your work, you must publish your web site .
• To publish your work, you must copy your site to a web server .
• Your own PC can act as a web server if it is connected to a network .
• Most common is to use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) .

What is an Internet Service Provider?

• ISP is a shortcut for Internet Service Provider .
• An ISP provides Internet services .
• A common Internet service is web hosting .
• Web hosting means storing your web site on a public server .
• Web hosting normally includes email services .
• Web hosting often includes domain name registration .

If you want other people to view your web site, you must copy your site to a public server. Even if you can use your own PC as a web server, it is more common to let an Internet Service Provider (ISP) host your site.