Q1: What is a website?
A website is an assortment of files that can be seen through an internet address called web address, covering a particular subject or theme, and being maintained by an organization or individual. The term “home page” refers to its initial page. A website may format and distribute information requested by users globally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from servers connected to the online network. HTML is commonly used on websites to style and display content and to offer navigation features that facilitate user interaction both within the website and across the internet.
Q2: What is the purpose of websites?
Websites have become an essential part of our daily lives, ranging from personal blogs to e-commerce companies. Websites are digital platforms that provide communication, information sharing, and online transactions, whether they are used for business, entertainment, or education.
Personal uses of websites include blogging and sharing details about interests and hobbies. A website functions as an online store for businesses, providing customers with the ability to browse items or services, making purchases, and contact customer support professionals.
They are also frequently utilized in education, with a lot of colleges and institutions having their own websites where they provide students with resources and information. Websites are another tool used by organizations and nonprofits to communicate with potential donors and spread awareness of their causes.
Q2: How a website functions?
Entering a site address (URL) into your browser is similar to walking to a store, in our analogy:
The browser contacts the DNS server in order to obtain the actual server address (i.e., the shop’s address) on which the website is hosted.
Requesting that the server deliver a copy of the website to the client (you go to the shop and order your items), the browser sends an HTTP request message to the server. TCP/IP is used to transfer this message and all other data between the client and the server across your internet connection.
When a request is accepted by the server, the client receives a “200 OK” response, which indicates, “Of course you can browse at that website! This is it “, and proceeds to transfer the files from the website to the browser in the form of a sequence of small fragments known as data packets (the store sells you the items, and you return them home).
The web page is assembled by the browser and presented to you as if new and shiny products had just arrived at your house.
- IP Address
A device on the internet or a local network is uniquely identified by its IP address. The set of rules controlling the format of data delivered over the internet or local network is known as “Internet Protocol,” or IP.
Essentially, IP addresses serve as the unique identifier that permits data to be sent between connected devices on a network. They provide device accessibility and contain location data. The internet requires a mechanism to distinguish between various PCs, routers, and webpages. IP addresses offer a means of achieving this and are fundamental to the operation of the internet.
A series of digits with periods between them makes up an IP address. Four digits are used to represent IP addresses; an example address would be 192.158.1.38. The set’s numbers can all have values between 0 and 255. Thus, the entire range of IP addresses is 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255.
There is no randomness to IP addresses. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a branch of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), generates and assigns them mathematically. A non-profit organization called ICANN was founded in the US in 1998 with the goal of assisting in preserving internet security and enabling universal access to it. Every time someone registers a domain name online, a domain name registrar is involved.
- Domain Name System
You can’t find your favorite websites by typing their addresses into your address bar; those aren’t real web addresses. 192.0.2.172 is how these unique numbers are supposed to look.
A unique location on the internet is represented by this, which is known as an IP address. Still, that’s not exactly simple to forget, is it? For this reason, the Domain Name System was created. This method uses special servers that translate a web URL (such as “mozilla.org”) that you type into your browser to the actual (IP) address of the website.
Websites can be immediately accessed by using their IP addresses. To find a website’s IP address, utilize a DNS lookup tool.
- Hosting
Hosting means renting an internet space for your website. So that your website can available to people online, it needs a virtual area, just like you need a real space to put up a store or an office.
As an illustration, let’s say you wish to start a bakery. To set up a bakery, install ovens, showcase your cakes, and send out invitations to clients, you must have a physical site. Likewise, all of the text, image, and video files that you use to make a website need to be saved in a “virtual space.” Hosting is similar to renting that digital space from a business so that people can locate and visit your website (your bakery) when they conduct an online search for it.
The Best Hosting Sites?
You can purchase both web hosting and domain names from a number of well-known firms. Here are a few popular choices:
- GoDaddy
- Bluehost
- Hostinger
- HostGator
- A2 Hosting
- Wix
- SiteGround
- DreamHost
- IONOS
These hosting companies are well-known for their broad feature sets, dependable operation, and top-notch customer service. Your unique demands, including the kind of website you’re building, your budget, and any special restrictions you might have, will determine which option is best for you.