What is
a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)?
A
URL specifies a unique address for each file stored on a computer
that is connected to the Internet. An example of a URL is:
http://example.microsoft.com/tutorial/default.html
The
first part of the URL (http) corresponds to the particular protocol
you are using, such as HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP. The second part of the
URL (example.microsoft.com) corresponds to a domain name or DNS
address, which is translated into a numeric IP address when a
request to transmit data is sent. The information to the right of
the domain name in the URL (/tutorial/default.html) is the path to
the actual resource and includes the name and type of file you want
to display or retrieve. This path is similar to the path to a file
on your computer. If the path is omitted, the server normally
provides a default response based on the protocol used. For example,
the default response to an HTTP request may be to display the file
named Index.html or Default.html.
