What is a URL?

A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is basically an address designed to let computers "talk" to one another quickly. Every address is put together in the same way so that when one machine talks to another over cables, phone line, or otherwise, it can recognize each part of the address in the same way each time it gets a message. If every message comes in the same form, the receiving machine can anticipate it in that form and act on it more quickly.

Parts of the URL

Like a mail address, there are several parts of a URL address. Each part of the address has a particular function in getting the correct Web page or message to the right person or place. Although they look different, a snail mail and a Web address are pretty much the same thing. The only difference is that snail mail is a manual system, whereas the Web functions automatically.

Quiet, the Machines Are Talking

There are several parts to a URL. The first part of a URL defines a Web protocol, such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). This part of the URL (e.g., http://) allows the machines to talk to one another. The complete URL specifies the name of a server or a path to a Web resource on a server, which a user can access by using browsers like Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer.

For the majority of users, HTTP is the only protocol that is used for accessing the Internet, talking to one another, or viewing Web pages. Other protocols are available. HTTPS can be used for secure transmission, FTP can be used for file transfer, and NNTP for newsgroups. These protocols are simply represented by the appropriate keyword (e.g., ftp) followed by the :// ending in the URL.

An Old Favorite

We have all become accustomed to the "www" portion of the URL. This portion was designed to help locate the computer you are accessing. It sort of became a rallying cry for the initial use of the Internet, a marketing thing, so to speak. It is perfectly alright to use the www symbol, but in most U.S. systems the need has pretty much been supplanted. Fortunately, whether you use it or not really makes no difference today. Old dogs die hard generally sums it up here.

The Right-Hand Designator

The right-hand designator is another part of the URL that has become a rallying cry for the Internet explosion. Sometimes it has been a good rallying cry and at other times a bad one. This is the domain type, or the .com, .edu and .org designation.

These designators are meant to identify the type of group that is offering or sending the information. A .com designator is a commercial organization, a .org is a nonprofit group, and a .edu is an educational group. The designator gives an idea of the type of organization that is providing the Web service. Domain types are in an expansion mode at the moment. Some new proposed designators include .people (peoples' names), .museum (museums), .pro (professions), and .aero (aeronautical organizations).