The World Wide Web or WWW is a hypertext system that uses the Internet in order to access specific locations and content stored there. Negotiating between clients (browsers) and servers, HTTP and HTTPS (Hypertext Transport Protocols) control the transmission of data through accessing locations.
These locations store the information that the browser wants to access – say a website or document. Once clicked, a request is initiated to the server where the info is kept, and assuming there are no restrictions in the way and there is a stable connection, the data is then transmitted to the client.
Technipages Explains World Wide Web (WWW)
Generally, websites and locations in the web are accessed via links, URLs or IP addresses. Part of a URL, for example, is the www. that precedes it, such as www.technipages.com. This hypertext extension is what is used by both browser and server to communicate via the Internet.
The World Wide Web is not the only way to interact with the Internet, but it is by far the most popular one out there, and the one used by every major browser currently in use.
Clicking a link on a site or entering a URL initiates a request for information to the server that has it. This request is sent using several layers of protocols including the Hypertext Transport Protocol HTTP 0r its safer twin HTTPS, where the S stands for Secure.
All of this makes it possible to send and receive the data necessary to access a webpage or file. Webpages are built using HTML files and then styled and populated through other technologies.
Alternatives to the www include ftp – a file transfer protocol used to transfer files via a network of servers and computers. While a normal URL would start with http://www.website.net an FTP one could look like this: ftp://username.password.@address.com.
Common Uses of World Wide Web (WWW)
- The World Wide Web made the Internet accessible to the masses.
- The World Wide Web Consortium regulates and works on protocols used in WWW connections.
- WWW usage far exceeds that of any other Internet activity, especially for casual and private users.
Common Misuses of World Wide Web (WWW)
- The World Wide Web is the entirety of the Internet.
