The internet and the World Wide Web (WWW)

The differences between the internet and the World Wide Web (WWW)

The word internet comes from INTERconnected NETwork, since it is basically a worldwide
collection of interconnected networks.

The internet is actually a concept rather than something tangible (that is, something we can
touch). It relies on a physical infrastructure that allows networks and individual devices to
connect to other networks and devices.

In contrast, the World Wide Web (WWW) is only a part of the internet that users can access
using web browser software.

The World Wide Web consists of a massive collection of web pages, and is based on the
hypertext transfer protocol.

Uniform resource locators (URLs)

Web browsers are software that allow users to access and display web pages on
their device screens.

Browsers interpret hypertext mark-up language (HTML) sent from websites and produce the
results on the user’s device.

Uniform resource locators (URLs) are text addresses used to access websites. A URL is typed
into a browser address bar using the following format:

protocol://website address/path/file name

The protocol is usually either http or https.

The website address is:

» domain host (www),

» domain name (website name),

» domain type (.com, .org, .net, .gov, for example),

» and sometimes country code (.uk, .de, .cy, for example).

The path is the web page, but is often omitted and it then becomes the root directory of the
website (see example below).
The file name is the item on the web page. For example:

https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/ict

1. HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It is an application layer protocol used for
transmitting hypermedia documents, such as HTML files, over the internet. HTTP
governs the communication between web servers and web clients, typically web
browsers.

2. Web Server:

• A web server is a software application that runs on a computer and is

responsible for serving web pages to clients upon their request. It processes
requests from web browsers and delivers the requested web pages, typically
using the HTTP protocol.

3. A website consists of many web pages linked together under a common domain name

4. Intranet:

• An intranet is a private network that is typically confined within an organization

and is used to facilitate communication and collaboration among its members. It
functions similarly to the internet but is restricted to internal users and
resources.
5. Browser:

• A browser, short for web browser, is a software application used to access

information on the World Wide Web. It interprets and displays web content such
as text, images, videos, and other multimedia files. Popular examples include
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

6. DNS (Domain Name System):

• The Domain Name System is a decentralized system that translates domain

names (e.g., example.com) into IP addresses (e.g., 192.0.2.1) and vice versa. It
enables users to access websites using human-readable domain names instead
of numeric IP addresses.

7. Cookies:

• Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user's device by websites they visit.
Cookies serve various purposes such as maintaining user sessions, remembering
user preferences, tracking user behavior, and providing personalized content.
They are commonly used by websites to enhance user experience and for
analytics and advertising purposes.

1. Session cookies

2. Persistent cookies/permanent
Before you share any information online, it’s important to make sure your communication with
the website is secure. Fortunately, there are two quick checks to help you be certain:
1. Look at the uniform resource locator (URL) of the website. A secure URL should
begin with “https” rather than “http.” The “s” in “https” stands for secure, which
indicates that the site is using a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate. This lets you
know that all your communication and data is encrypted as it passes from your browser
to the website’s server.

2. Look for a lock icon near your browser’s location field. The lock symbol and related
URL containing “https” simply mean that the connection between your web browser and
the website server is encrypted, which is important. It prevents others from
eavesdropping or intercepting your communication between your browser and the
website’s server. But don’t be fooled into thinking the website you’re going to is
secure—it may not be.