Hi Developer! If you're new in the world of web development, you might wonder: What exactly is a website, and how does it work? So in this article, I'll explain everything you need to know in simple terms.
Let's get started!
What is a website?
A website is a collection of web pages that are displayed on the Internet and through our web browser. We can present the information to the whole world by writing articles and any kind of content on the website. In today's time, many people create their own websites and write new trendy articles on them.
How does a website work?
1. Hosting on a Server:
When you create a website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, its HTML code is stored on a server. This server works as a host, through which any user can view that website.
The browser connects the user's computer to the server through an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The IP address is something like this (e.g., 127.0.0.1). The IP address is obtained by translating the domain name so that the user can find your website in the browser with a particular name.
2. Domain Name:
Every website has a unique address called a domain name (e.g., example.com). This domain name is linked to an IP address, which is used by the browser to locate and access the website.
3. Web Pages and Coding:
A website can consist of one or multiple pages, all stored in a single folder on the server. These pages are created using coding languages, with HTML being the most common. HTML sets up how a website looks, CSS makes it stylish, and JavaScript builds logic.
4. Web Server:
To make your website visible on the internet, it needs to be uploaded to a web server.
You can set up your server at home, but it will require a large amount of knowledge, time, electricity, and an internet connection. And you have to keep the system running and connected to the internet for the whole day. If someday the internet connection is lost, then your website will crash on the server.
There are many such web hosting services on the Internet that make your work easy. You have to pay to use the service. In return, web hosting providers let you use the space on their servers to host your website because it is on their servers. So you don't have to worry about the server running.
How does the website function?
If you know how to make a website, then it is also important to know how the website functions.
1. Browser Request:
When a user searches for a website, their browser sends a request to the DNS server to find the server's actual address where the website is hosted.
2. HTTP Request:
Once the server's address is located, the browser sends an HTTP request message to the server, requesting to visit the website.
3. Server Response:
The server responds by sending back the requested HTML file, along with CSS and JavaScript files if needed. These files are then parsed and processed by the browser.
4. Rendering and Display:
The browser sends the HTML file; it produces a DOM (Document Object Model) tree and styles it with CSS. The result is then a visual representation of the web page. It also adds JavaScript code to respond to user input.
Conclusion
A website works by sending and receiving requests between your browser and the server using the internet protocol (IP). All these processes are so fast that you would not even think that all these processes happen between the server and the client.
I hope you completely understand what a website is and how it works. If you have any questions, you can ask them in the question box given below.