Web servers are the backbone of the internet, serving as a platform for delivering web pages and other digital content to users around the world. Understanding the fundamentals of web servers is essential for anyone looking to create a website, manage a server, or work in the field of web development. In this beginner's guide, we will discuss the basics of web servers, including what they are, how they work, and the different types of web servers available.
What is a Web Server?
A web server is a computer program that runs on a computer or network device and is responsible for serving web pages to users who request them. When a user types a URL into their web browser, the browser sends a request to the web server, which then responds by sending the requested web page to the user's browser. This process is known as the client-server model and is the basis of how the internet works.
How Does a Web Server Work?
Let's discover the step-by-step process of what happens whenever a web browser approaches the web server and requests a web file or file. Follow the below steps:
- First, any web user is required to type the URL of the web page in the address bar of your web browser.
- With the help of the URL, your web browser will fetch the IP address of your domain name either by converting the URL via DNS (Domain Name System) or by looking for the IP in cache memory. The IP address will direct your browser to the web server.
- After making the connection, the web browser will request for the web page from the web server with the help of an HTTP request.
- As soon as the web server receives this request, it immediately responds by sending back the requested page or file to the web browser HTTP.
- If the web page requested by the browser does not exist or if there occurs some error in the process, the web server will return an error message.
- If there occurs no error, the browser will successfully display the webpage.
To handle multiple requests at the same time, web servers use multi-threading or multi-processing techniques. This means that they can handle multiple requests simultaneously, allowing them to serve web pages to multiple users at the same time.
Types of Web Servers
There are several types of web servers available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. The most common types of web servers include:
Apache HTTP Server - Apache is the most widely used web server in the world, accounting for over 60% of all web servers in use today. It is an open-source web server that is highly customizable and can be used on a variety of platforms, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) - IIS is a web server developed by Microsoft and is designed to run on the Windows operating system. It is commonly used for hosting websites and web applications that are built using Microsoft technologies, such as ASP.NET.
Nginx - Nginx is a high-performance, open-source web server that is designed to handle a large number of simultaneous connections. It is commonly used as a reverse proxy and load balancer, and it can also be used as a web server in its own right.
Lighttpd - Lighttpd is a lightweight, open-source web server that is designed to be fast and efficient. It is commonly used on embedded systems and in environments where resources are limited.
Node.js - Node.js is a platform that allows developers to run JavaScript code on the server-side. It includes a built-in web server that can be used to serve web pages and web applications.
References
To learn more about web servers Refer the following
- web servers by JavaTpoint
- What is a Web server ?-mdn Docs