What is World Wide Web?

Meaning & Definition

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web, often abbreviated as “WWW” or simply “the Web,” is a global information system of interlinked hypertext documents and multimedia content. It is a subset of the broader internet, designed for the purpose of easily accessing, searching, and navigating documents and resources stored on remote servers. The World Wide Web is a fundamental component of the Internet and is one of the most significant developments in the history of information technology.

Key characteristics and components of the World Wide Web include:

• Hypertext

The web is based on the concept of hypertext, which allows documents to contain links or hyperlinks that point to other documents, enabling users to navigate between pages by clicking on these links.

• Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)

Each web page and resource on the web is identified by a unique web address known as a URL, which consists of a scheme (e.g., “http” or “https”), a domain name or IP address, and a specific path or resource identifier.

• Web Browsers

Web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari, are software applications that allow users to access and view web pages, navigate the web, and interact with online content.

• Web Pages

Web pages are individual documents containing text, images, videos, links, and other multimedia elements. These pages are typically authored in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and are displayed in browsers.

• Search Engines

Search engines, like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, index and catalog web pages, enabling users to search for specific information on the web using keywords.

• Web Servers

Web servers store and serve web pages and resources to users’ web browsers when requested. Web pages are hosted on web servers connected to the internet.

• Hypermedia

In addition to text-based content, the web includes various forms of hypermedia, including images, audio, video, animations, and interactive applications.

• Markup Languages

HTML is the primary markup language used to structure and format web content, while technologies like CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and JavaScript enhance the presentation and interactivity of web pages.

• Internet Protocol (IP)

The web operates over the internet and relies on the use of the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) suite for data transmission and communication.

• Global Reach

The World Wide Web is a globally accessible platform, and web content can be published and accessed from anywhere in the world, making it a truly worldwide information resource.

The World Wide Web was invented by British computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, while he was working at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory. Berners-Lee developed the web as a means to share and access scientific documents and research across the global physics community. He introduced the first web server and web browser and proposed a set of protocols and standards for creating and accessing web content. His innovations paved the way for the web’s rapid growth and development into the platform we use today.

The World Wide Web has transformed how people access and share information, communicate, conduct business, and access entertainment. It has become an essential part of daily life, enabling users to browse websites, shop online, conduct research, and connect with people and content from all over the world.