Brief History of URL

Here is a brief history of URLs in bullet form:

• The concept of URLs started with the search for a method that would allow the sharing of information on computer systems.

• In 1991, Tim Berners-Lee released the concept of URLs as a tool to link to the location of any internet resource a user may need.

• URLs were designed to be a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet, including as a file or a webpage.

URL Components

URL components are the various parts that make up a web address, used to specify the location of a resource on the internet. A typical URL consists of several components:

Also Read: 20 Types of URL With Their Examples

Part of URL Structure 

Scheme: This specifies the protocol or method used to access the resource. Common schemes include “http,” “https,” “ftp,” “mailto,” “tel,” “file,” and “data.” For example, in the URL “https://www.example.com,” “https” is the scheme.

Host: The host is the domain name or IP address of the server where the resource is located. In the URL “https://www.example.com,” “www.example.com” is the host.

Port: This is an optional component that specifies the port number to use when connecting to the server. If no port is specified, the default port for the scheme is used. For example, “https” typically uses port 443, while “http” uses port 80.

Path: The path defines the specific location or resource on the server. It can include directories and file names. For example, in the URL “https://www.example.com/products/index.html,” “/products/index.html” is the path.

Query: The query component is used to pass parameters to the resource, typically in the form of key-value pairs. It is preceded by a question mark (“?”). For example, in the URL “https://www.example.com/search?q=URL+components,” “?q=URL+components” is the query.

Fragment: The fragment identifier, often referred to as the “hash,” is used to specify a specific section or anchor within the resource. It is preceded by a hash symbol (“#”). For example, in the URL “https://www.example.com/page#section2,” “#section2” is the fragment.

Here’s an example URL with all these components:

https://www.example.com:8080/products/index.html?category=electronics&page=1#section2

Scheme: “https”

Host: “www.example.com”

Port: 8080

Path: “/products/index.html”

Query: “?category=electronics&page=1”

Fragment: “#section2”

Other Components of URL:

Subdomain: Hostnames often consist of subdomains, which are prefixes to the main domain. For example, in the URL “https://www.example.com,” “www” is a subdomain of “example.com.”

Second-Level Domain: SLD is a domain that is used directly at the below a top-level domain (TLD) in the Domain Name System hierarchy. It is the part of the domain name that shows to the left of the main dot. For example, in the domain name “example.com,” “example” is the second-level domain, and “com” is the top-level domain. Second-level domains commonly represent the organization that registered the domain name with a domain name registrar.

Top-Level Domain (TLD): The TLD is the last element of the host and represents the highest level in the domain hierarchy. Few common TLDs include “.com,” “.org,” “.net,” and country-code TLDs like “.uk” or “.ca.”

Parameter: A parameter is a small part of information in a query string of a URL. Multiple parameters can be separated by ampersands (&)

These components together deliver the necessary information to locate and access a resource on the web.

10 Examples of URL

Here is some common URL example list, as following it:

Also Read: Top 20 Examples of Digital Computers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL: This is the URL for the Wikipedia page on URLs. It includes the protocol (https), the domain name (en.wikipedia.org), and the path to the resource (/wiki/URL).

https://www.apple.com: This is the URL for Apple’s website. It has the protocol (https) and the domain name (www.apple.com).

https://websitebuilders.com: This is the URL for the home page of the Website Builders website. It includes the protocol (https) and the domain name (websitebuilders.com).

http://www.indiana.edu/: This is the URL for Indiana University’s home page. It includes the protocol (http) and the domain name (www.indiana.edu).

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Common_questions/Web_mechanics/What_is_a_URL: This is the URL for the Mozilla Developer Network’s page on URLs. It includes the protocol (https), the domain name (developer.mozilla.org), and the path to the resource (/en-US/docs/Learn/Common_questions/Web_mechanics/What_is_a_URL).

http://www.example.com/category-keyword/subcategory-keyword/primary-keyword.html: This is an example of a well-crafted URL that gives the both humans and search engines an easy-to-understand indication of what the destination page will be about. It includes the protocol (http), the domain name (www.example.com), the subdirectory (category-keyword/subcategory-keyword), and the file name (primary-keyword.html).

Other URL Examples Are:

• https://moz.com/
• https://www.techtarget.com/
• https://www.amazon.com/
• https://www.nytimes.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/

What is Importance of URL Design?

The URL structure is an essential element of website design and SEO. A well-designed URL structure helps to improve the user experience, as well as the search engines understand the relevance and context of a landing page, and enhance the website’s visibility. Here are some reasons why URL design is important:

Improving User Experience: A well-designed URL structure can improve the user experience by making it easier for users to navigate the website and find the information they need.

SEO Benefits: URLs play an major role in ranking a specific page. Although URLs don’t have the ability to rank themselves, a keyword in the URL can increase the page’s ranking, providing better visibility.

Linking: A proper URL can also help to serve as a link while sharing information on several social media platforms and other. It can also drive more traffic to the website from other sources.

Organization of Website Content: URLs are the organization of a website’s content. They’re the connected between the content and a user. URL structure matters for these main two reasons: user experience and SEO.

Uses of URL

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are an essential part of the internet and are used to identify and locate resources on the internet. Here are some of the main uses of URLs:

Also Read: Mobile Computing Architecture with Diagram

Identifying Resources: URLs are used to identify resources on the internet, such as web pages, sound files, and images.

Accessing Resources: URLs offer the mechanism for retrieving resources on the internet.

Sharing Information: URLs are also going to use for sharing the information on the internet, like as links to web pages or files.

File Transfer: URLs are used for file transfer, such as FTP.

Email: URLs are used for email, such as mailto.

Database Access: URLs are used for database access, such as JDBC.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is a URL and where is it located?

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address that directs a browser to a website and resources on the internet. URLs are mostly located in the address bar of a web browser; and they contain the multiple parts like as protocol and domain name, that tell a web browser how and where to retrieve a resource.

Where is URL used?

Here are some common uses of URLs:

• Accessing web pages
• Retrieving resources
• File transfer
• Email
• Database access

What are the basic parts of URL?

There are some basic parts of a URL, like as:

• Scheme or Protocol
• Domain Name
• Path
• Subdomain
• Top-Level Domain
• Second-Level Domain
• Subdirectory
• Parameter
• Port
• Query
• Fragment

What is the format of a URL?

The format of a URL is as follows: protocol://hostname/path?query#fragment.

The protocol show about how information from the link is transferred; and the hostname is the domain name or IP address of the server hosting the resource.

The path represents the location of the file or resource that the user wishs to access, the query string is going to use for pass information to a web page, and the fragment identifier is helped to identify a certain section of the web page.

Final Remarks

Now, we can hope that you have been fully educated about what is URL and its structure along with their components and parts; as well as 10 examples of URL with ease. If this post is helpful for you, then please share it along with your friends, family members or relatives over social media platforms like as Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, Twitter, and more.

Also Read: What is Web Server with their Examples?

If you have any experience, tips, tricks, or query regarding this issue? You can drop a comment!

Happy Learning!!