World Wide Web

Introduction

The World Wide Web (WWW), often colloquially referred to as the "web", is a system of interconnected documents and other resources, linked by hyperlinks and URLs. It was conceived and developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 at CERN, an international scientific research organization based in Switzerland.

A photo of a spider web, symbolizing the interconnected nature of the World Wide Web.

History

The World Wide Web was born out of a need for automated information-sharing between scientists in universities and institutes around the world. Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist, wrote a proposal in March 1989 for "a large hypertext database with typed links". His boss, Mike Sendall, noted on the cover of his proposal "Vague, but exciting". By Christmas 1990, Berners-Lee had built all the tools necessary for a working Web: the HTML (HyperText Markup Language) for formatting, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for transmission, and the first web browser, named WorldWideWeb.

Architecture

The World Wide Web functions as a client-server system. The web browsers (the clients) contact web servers and request information or resources. The servers then send those resources back to the clients, where they are rendered and displayed to the user.

The primary languages are HTML, used to structure content and layout on the web, and JavaScript, used to program behaviors in web pages. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used for presentation and layout, including aspects such as the colors and fonts.

Protocols

The World Wide Web uses primarily two protocols: HTTP and HTTPS. HTTP is an application protocol that runs on top of the TCP/IP suite of protocols (the foundation protocols for the Internet). HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP, where communications are encrypted by Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

Web Browsers

Web browsers are software applications that people use to access the World Wide Web. The first web browser, called WorldWideWeb, was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1990. Since then, a number of different web browsers have been developed, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the most popular web browsers today include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

Web Development

Web development is the work involved in creating a website for the Internet or an intranet. It can range from developing a simple single static page of plain text to complex web-based internet applications, electronic businesses, and social network services. Web development commonly includes web design, web content development, client-side/server-side scripting, and network security configuration.

Impact on Society

The World Wide Web has had a profound impact on all aspects of society, from commerce and government to education and entertainment. It has democratized access to information, transformed how we communicate with each other, and revolutionized many industries.