24 min read
How a Web Page Reaches Your Browser
The parts of a URL, how DNS finds the server, what HTTP and HTTPS do, and what status codes mean.
The Parts of a URL
| https://www.ceylonleaf.lk/gallery/cakes.html?size=large#kokis | ||
|---|---|---|
DNS: Finding the Server
Computers find each other by IP address, but people remember names. When you type a URL:
- Your computer checks whether it already knows the IP address (its cache).
- If not, it asks a DNS resolver (usually run by your ISP).
- The resolver asks the root servers, then the .lk servers, then the domain's own name server, until it gets the IP address.
- The answer is stored in caches for next time, so later visits are faster.
HTTP and HTTPS
HTTPS is HTTP with encryption (using TLS). It stops anyone between you and the server from reading or changing the data — essential for passwords, forms and payments. Browsers show a padlock for HTTPS sites and warn you about plain HTTP pages with forms.
The Whole Journey
From typing a URL to seeing the page
| Common HTTP status codes | |
|---|---|
Practice
What is the job of DNS?
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