The Origins and Functioning of the Web
The Web is an integral part of our lives. From connecting with friends and family to buying almost anything we need, we do almost everything through the Web. But have you ever wondered how the Web started and who created it? In this post, we will take a look at the origins of the Web, its creator, the context in which it was created, the improvements made over the years, and why it’s so important today. We will also show you how it works internally, what happens when you enter a website, how content is displayed on the screen, what servers are, and their protocols.
The Origins of the Web
The Web was created in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, a British software engineer. Berners-Lee was working at CERN, the particle physics laboratory in Switzerland. He wanted a way to share information and collaborate on research, so he created the web as a system for sharing documents among colleagues. His idea was simple: create links between documents so users could easily navigate between them. This fundamental idea led to the creation of the Web as we know it today.
At that time, most communication and information sharing were done through email, and access to documents was limited to floppy disks. Berners-Lee wanted to create something more efficient that allowed greater online collaboration. After working on the Web for several years, in 1990, he published the world’s first webpage.
The first webpage, hosted on Berners-Lee’s web server, was a simple text document describing the concept of the web and how users could set up their own web servers. Berners-Lee and his team continued to improve and expand the functionality of the web, introducing new technologies like HTML (HyperText Markup Language), which allowed users to create webpages with text, images, and links. In 1991, the Web was made public, forever changing how we share and access information. This information revolution opened the doors to a new era of global communication and collaboration.
Improvements Over the Years
As the Web began to gain popularity, developers started adding new functionalities and features. One of the biggest advancements was the introduction of search engines, which allowed users to find information on the Web more efficiently. Other significant advances included the incorporation of online video and audio, the creation of social media platforms, and the introduction of mobile applications.
Today, the Web is an essential tool for communication, collaboration, education, and entertainment. It enables us to connect with people worldwide, access information on almost any topic, conduct business transactions, and much more.
How Does the Web Work Internally?
When we enter a web address into our browser, the browser sends a request to the server to retrieve the webpage. The server processes the request and sends the page back to the browser. Then, the browser uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to display the information and elements of the page on the screen. HTML is the markup language used to create the structure of the page, CSS is used to style it, and JavaScript allows for greater interactivity on the Web.
In addition to the basic components of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the modern Web also uses various other technologies. One of them is AJAX, which allows webpages to load information dynamically without reloading the entire page. Web Application Services, like RESTful APIs, are also essential in today’s Web, facilitating interaction between different web applications. Web Security is also crucial, with HTTPS protocols and encryption techniques used to protect users’ privacy and security. In summary, the Web is a vast and complex ecosystem composed of multiple technologies, each contributing to its functionality and overall experience.
What Are Servers?
A server is essentially a high-capacity computer used to store and process information and resources. Every time we access a webpage, we send a request to a remote server to send the information we’re looking for to our computer. When we write an email, the information is sent to a server for further processing. Servers can be used by companies, organizations, and individuals to store and process large amounts of data and resources.
Additionally, servers can serve different functions depending on the type of services they offer. For example, email servers are used to store, manage, and send emails, while web servers are used to host and serve webpages. Database servers are used as centralized storage for data, while file servers are used to store and share files.
Servers operate thanks to communication protocols, which are the rules that govern how devices connect and communicate over a network. Protocols are used to send and receive information in packets and ensure these packets reach the correct destination.
HTTP Protocol
HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, and it’s a network protocol used for communication on the World Wide Web.
It is used for communication between clients and servers on the World Wide Web. Through the protocol, data is sent and received between the different devices connected to the network. When we enter a web address in our browser, it sends a request to the web server for the requested information. The server receives this request and sends the response back to the user’s browser.
HTTP uses a request-response communication structure, meaning the browser sends a request to the server, and the server sends a response back to the browser. These requests and responses are sent as messages, containing various components like the start line, headers, and body. The start line contains information about the type of request or response being sent, while the headers contain additional information about the request or response, such as the date and time of the transaction.
The HTTP protocol also uses different request methods, which browsers use to communicate with servers. The most common methods are GET and POST. GET is used to request information from a server, while POST is used to send information to a server. Other methods include PUT, DELETE, and HEAD, each serving a specific function.
Summary:
The web was created in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, an engineer at CERN in Switzerland, to share information and collaborate on research. The Internet revolutionized how we share information and led to significant advancements like search engines, videos, social networks, and mobile apps.
When we enter a web address in our browser, it requests the page from the server, which processes the request and sends the page back. The browser uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to display the information on the screen.
Servers play a critical role in storing and processing information, and communication on the Internet is governed by protocols like HTTP, which enable data transfer between devices on the network.