Intro to Computer Science / Unit 9: The Internet and Networks
9.5 How a Web Request Works
Notes
Putting it together, here is what happens when you open a web page:
- 1) You type
https://example.com. 2) Your device asks DNS for the IP address. 3) Your browser connects to that address and sends an HTTPS request. 4) The request is split into packets that routers forward. 5) The server sends back the page as packets. 6) Your device reassembles them and the browser shows the page. - A URL has parts: protocol (
https), domain (example.com) and path (/page). - A web server stores pages and responds to requests. A client (your browser) makes requests.
- Slow loading can come from low bandwidth, high latency, or a busy server.
Practice
In the URL
https://example.com/photos, what is the protocol?The protocol comes before ://.
What happens right after you type a domain name into a browser?
DNS translation comes first so the browser knows where to send the request.
In the web request process, what is the client?
The client asks for the page and the server provides it.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 9 test.