What To Know
- When you visit a website on the internet, a series of events is set into motion to ensure that you can access and view the desired content.
- When you leave the website or navigate to a different page, your browser closes the connection with the web server.
When you visit a website on the internet, a series of events is set into motion to ensure that you can access and view the desired content. Here’s a breakdown of what happens behind the scenes:
1. Domain Name System (DNS) Lookup: Your web browser first performs a DNS lookup to translate the website’s domain name (e.g., www.example.com) into an IP address. This IP address is used to locate the server hosting the website.
2. Establishing a Connection: Once the IP address is obtained, your browser establishes a TCP/IP connection with the web server. This connection allows for the exchange of data between your browser and the server.
3. Sending a Request: Your browser sends an HTTP request to the web server, specifying the page or resource you want to access. This request includes information such as the type of browser you are using.
4. Processing the Request: The web server receives the request and processes it. It retrieves the requested page or resource from its storage and prepares it for transmission back to your browser.
5. Sending the Response: The web server sends the requested page or resource back to your browser as an HTTP response. This response includes the HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and any other files needed to render the webpage.
6. Rendering the Webpage: Your browser receives the response and starts rendering the webpage. It interprets the HTML and CSS to display the content, while executing any JavaScript code present on the page.
7. Loading Additional Resources: As the webpage is being rendered, your browser may encounter additional resources such as images, videos, or external scripts. It fetches these resources separately to complete the webpage.
8. Interacting with the Website: Once the webpage is fully rendered, you can interact with the website by clicking links, submitting forms, or performing other actions. These interactions trigger additional requests and responses between your browser and the web server.
9. Closing the Connection: When you leave the website or navigate to a different page, your browser closes the connection with the web server.
This entire process happens within seconds, allowing you to seamlessly browse and access the vast array of websites available on the internet.