What is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)?
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is an address that uniquely defines a specific webpage. It is composed of many components such as the protocol (e.g. http, ftp), the hostname (e.g. www.example.com), the file path, and the port number (if any). URLs are used to locate webpages and other resources on the Internet.
Components of a URL
A URL is composed of four main parts:
- Protocol: This is the first part of a URL and it defines the type of resource being requested (e.g. http, https, ftp).
- Hostname: This is the domain name of the website that is being requested (e.g. www.example.com).
- File Path: This is the subdirectory of the website that contains the file being requested (e.g. /images/logo.png).
- Port Number (optional): This is an optional component and it defines the port used to access the resource (e.g. 8080).
Examples of URLs
Here are some examples of URLs:
- http://www.example.com
- https://www.example.com/images/logo.png
- ftp://ftp.example.com/files/document.pdf
Conclusion
A URL is a unique address that is used to locate webpages and other resources on the Internet. It is composed of four components: the protocol, the hostname, the file path, and the port number (if any). URLs are used by browsers to request and access webpages and other resources.