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A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is a specific type of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) used to reference Web resources. It was originally defined in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee and the URI working group of the Internet^[2] Engineering Task Force (IETF). URLs combine a domain name system^[1], established in 1985, with a file path syntax using slashes. They are primarily used to locate web pages, email^[3] addresses, and file transfer applications on the internet. The structure of a URL consists of five components following the syntax of a generic URI, which can be defined, undefined, or empty depending on the characters and delimiters used. In addition, URLs have evolved to support Unicode characters through the Internationalized Resource Identifier (IRI), allowing for the use of URLs in non-Latin scripts.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ domain name system. The Domain Name System (DNS) is a vital part of the internet's infrastructure. It works as a translator between human-friendly hostnames and numerical IP addresses. This system helps users access websites and online services swiftly and efficiently. The DNS has been in use since the ARPANET era, where it began as a simple mapping system. Over time, it has developed into a complex hierarchical structure that is crucial for cloud services and content delivery networks. The DNS uses protocols like UDP and TCP to provide reliable, secure, and private connections. It also holds various types of records, such as SOA, A, AAAA, MX, NS, PTR, and CNAME, which are traditionally stored in a zone file. These records are important for the operation of distributed Internet services. The DNS helps users get faster responses by assigning proximal servers. Its structure is reflective of administrative responsibility on the Internet, with zones of autonomy assigned to managers for each subdomain.

2. ↑ Internet ( Internet ) The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use standardized communication protocols, primarily the TCP/IP, to link devices worldwide. Originating from the term 'internetted' used in 1849, the term 'Internet' was later used by the US War Department in 1945. Its development began with computer scientists creating time-sharing systems in the 1960s and further progressed with the establishment of ARPANET in 1969. The Internet is self-governed, without a central authority, and its principal name spaces are administered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). It has significantly transformed traditional communication media and has grown exponentially over the years, with internet users increasing 20% to 50% annually. In 2019, over half of the world population used the Internet. The Internet protocol suite, which includes TCP/IP and four conceptual layers, guides internet packets to their destinations. Essential services like email and Internet telephony operate on the Internet. The World Wide Web, a global collection of interconnected documents, is a key component of the Internet.

URL (Wikipedia)

A uniform resource locator (URL), colloquially known as an address on the Web, is a reference to a resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. A URL is a specific type of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), although many people use the two terms interchangeably. URLs occur most commonly to reference web pages (HTTP/HTTPS) but are also used for file transfer (FTP), email (mailto), database access (JDBC), and many other applications.

URL
Uniform resource locator
Abbreviation	URL
Status	Published
First published	1994; 30 years ago (1994)
Latest version	Living Standard 2023
Organization	Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Committee	Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG)
Series	Request for Comments (RFC).
Editors	Anne van Kesteren
Authors	Tim Berners-Lee
Base standards	RFC 1738. - Uniform Resource Locators (URL). RFC 3986. - Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax. RFC 4248. - The telnet URI Scheme. RFC 4266. - The gopher URI Scheme. RFC 6068. - The 'mailto' URI Scheme. RFC 6196. - Moving mailserver: URI Scheme to Historic. RFC 6270. - The 'tn3270' URI Scheme.
Related standards	URI, URN
Domain	World Wide Web
License	CC BY 4.0
Website	url.spec.whatwg.org

Most web browsers display the URL of a web page above the page in an address bar. A typical URL could have the form http://www.example.com/index.html, which indicates a protocol (http), a hostname (www.example.com), and a file name (index.html).

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