Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

 

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

Introduction

A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the unique address of a web page or resource on the World Wide Web. It specifies the location of the resource and the protocol required to access it.

A URL enables a web browser to locate and retrieve a web page from a web server.

Definition

A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the unique address used to identify and access a web page or other resource on the Internet.

Components of a URL

According to the textbook, a URL consists of four identifiers:

  1. Protocol
  2. Host
  3. Port
  4. Path

1. Protocol

The protocol specifies the client-server application used to access the resource.

Common protocols include:

  • HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) – Used for web pages
  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol) – Used for file transfer

Example:

http://
ftp://

2. Host

The host identifies the web server where the resource is stored.

The host can be:

  • An IP address, e.g., 64.23.56.17
  • A domain name, e.g., www.example.com

The domain name is translated into an IP address using the Domain Name System (DNS).

3. Port

The port number identifies the specific application or service running on the server.

  • It is a 16-bit integer.
  • Most applications use predefined (well-known) port numbers.

Example:

  • HTTP → Port 80
  • HTTPS → Port 443

Normally, the port number is omitted if the default port is used.

4. Path

The path specifies the location and name of the requested file on the server.

It consists of:

  • Directory names
  • File name

Example:

/books/networks/chapter2.html

The format of the path depends on the server's operating system.

General Format of a URL

Protocol://Host:Port/Path

Example

http://www.example.com:80/books/networks.html
ComponentValue
ProtocolHTTP
Hostwww.example.com
Port80
Path/books/networks.html

Importance of URL

  • Uniquely identifies a web resource.
  • Helps the browser locate the correct server.
  • Specifies the communication protocol.
  • Identifies the exact file to be retrieved.
  • Enables access to web pages and other Internet resources.

Summary

A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the unique address of a web resource on the Internet. It consists of four components: protocol, host, port, and path. The protocol specifies how the resource is accessed, the host identifies the server, the port identifies the service, and the path specifies the exact location of the requested file on the server.

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