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browsing the web

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The difference between web page, website, web server, and search engine

  1. Web page A document written in the HTML language that can be displayed in a web browser. These are also often called just “pages”.
  2. Website A collection of web pages grouped together into a single resource, with links connecting them together. Often called a “site”.
  3. Web server A computer that hosts a website on the internet.
  4. Web service A software that responds to requests over the Internet to perform a function or provide data. A web service is typically backed by a web server, and may provide web pages for users to interact with.
  5. Search engine A web service that helps you find other web pages, such as the goat DuckDuckGo.

How the web works

When you interact with the web, a specific sequence of events occurs between the browser and the remote server

  • The web browser requests a resource (like a web page or data) from the web server where it is stored.
  • This communication happens via HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which uses verbs like GET to describe the intended action.
  • If the request is successful, the web server sends an HTTP response containing the requested resource back to the browser.
  • Upon receiving the initial HTML file, the browser parses it and often triggers additional HTTP requests for embedded resources, such as scripts, style information, and media.
  • Once all resources are received, the browser parses and renders them to display the final result.
sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Browser
    participant Web Server
    
    User->>Browser: Types URL & presses Enter
    Browser->>Web Server: HTTP GET request for main HTML
    Web Server-->>Browser: HTTP response (HTML file)
    Note over Browser,Web Server: Browser parses HTML and finds external dependencies
    Browser->>Web Server: Additional HTTP requests (Scripts, CSS, Media)
    Web Server-->>Browser: HTTP responses (Requested resources)
    Browser->>User: Parses and renders the complete web page

Reference: Browsing the web

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