How a Website Works: Explained in Plain English

Do you own a website? Are you curious about how it works? In this blog post, we will explain the basics of how a website works. We will go over the different components that make up a website and how they all work together to create an online presence for your business. We all know what a website looks like, we use them on a daily basis but do you really understand how the website exists?

What is a website?

You don't need to be a professional website developer or have coding skills to understand how it works. A web page is made up of elements such as text, links, images and videos, your website is simply a collection of web pages that are accessed through the internet. Webpages are what you see when you type in a website's address and to put it simply, it's where you publicly display your business information. There's a little bit more than that going on behind the scenes...

How does a web browser work?

Websites are made up of code, specifically Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). When a website is created, the code, written in HTML, is then read by your web browser and displayed as a web page. When you type in a website's address, your computer sends a request to the server where the website is hosted. The server then responds by sending the website's code to your web browser. The web browser then reads the code and displays the website as a web page. If you want to get a little more technical, website addresses are actually Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). URLs are used to identify resources on the internet such as websites, images and videos. TIP:  The browser you are using (Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge etc) will not change how the web page is displayed but if it's old or out of date, this will impact how the web page loads and looks. So always ensure you are using a current browser.

Where is a website stored?

So much of our lives are now online, but it does raise the question of where does it all live?  Websites are stored on servers, which are basically big computers that are always connected to the internet. When you type in a website's address, your computer sends a request to the server where the website is hosted and the server responds by sending the website's code to your browser. Companies that have these servers, 'host' your website. So this is where your website lives, ready and waiting for a user to type in your web address. TIP: You don't need to worry about your hosting when you have a website with us... we will take care of this for you as part of your package.

Domain name

So where does your domain name fit into this process? In order to load your web page, your browser has to find it... This is where your domain name comes in. This is the address by which your website will be recognised. You need all of these elements in order for your website to be found online. It's not enough to just have a domain name or a hosting provider. You need to host your website on a server and register a domain name. Now you know a little about how your website works behind the scenes, just in case you were curious. But all you really need to know is that you can have your very own professional website created by us for just £29.99. Are you thinking about getting a website for your small business? Or perhaps you are fed up with having to pay for minor changes on your website? Does your website just need a new look? Get started with us today! It’s as easy as 1,2,3. If you need help and assistance with a brand new website, then why not schedule a 1-2-1 chat with our Web Guy Jon? He can talk you through all the ways you can make your website work. We hope that you got value from our blog post to help with your business. If you are looking to create a new website or your current site need updating then contact our director of business development Gary at sales@thewebguys.co.uk to take your online presence to the next level. We can help you to create a top-quality website that you can use to sell your products or services – we will help you to get your website up and running and advise you on how to really make the most of your website >>> Get started today.  

The Three Core Languages of a Website: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

While the article mentions HTML as the code for websites, a modern website almost always uses three languages working together. Think of it like building a house:

• HTML (HyperText Markup Language): This is the skeleton or the structure of the house. It defines the core elements like headings, paragraphs, images, and links.
• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): This is the interior and exterior design. CSS controls the colours, fonts, spacing, and layout, making the website visually appealing. Without CSS, a website would be a plain black and white document.
• JavaScript (JS): This adds interactivity and functionality, like the plumbing and electricity in a house. It powers features like interactive forms, image sliders, pop-up messages, and dynamic content that updates without reloading the page.

Together, these three languages form the foundation of nearly every website you visit.

How Your Browser Finds a Website: The DNS Lookup

Before your browser can request a website from a server, it needs to know the server's specific address. While we use easy-to-remember domain names like example.com, web servers are found using numerical IP addresses like 192.0.2.1.

So, how does your browser translate the name into the number? It uses the Domain Name System (DNS). You can think of DNS as the internet's phone book. When you type in a domain name, your browser sends a query to a DNS server. The DNS server looks up the domain, finds the corresponding IP address, and sends it back to your browser. Only after it has this IP address can your browser connect to the correct web server and ask for the website's files.

A Step-by-Step Summary: Your Browser's Journey to a Webpage

The process of loading a website happens in seconds, but it involves several key steps. Here is the typical journey from typing an address to seeing a page:

1. You Enter a URL: You type a web address into your browser's address bar and press Enter.
2. DNS Lookup: The browser contacts a DNS server to translate the domain name into the server's numerical IP address.
3. HTTP Request: Using the IP address, your browser sends an HTTP request to the web server, asking for the files needed to display the page.
4. Server Response: The server receives the request, finds the necessary files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images), and sends them back to your browser.
5. Browser Rendering: Your web browser receives the files, reads the code, and assembles everything visually to display the fully interactive webpage on your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions About How Websites Work

Here are direct answers to some common questions about the mechanics of websites.

• What is the difference between a domain name and web hosting?

  A domain name is your website's address, like a street address for a house. Web hosting is the actual space where your website's files are stored, like the plot of land the house is on. You need both to have a live website.

• What is an IP Address?

  An IP Address is a unique numerical label for a device on the internet, like a phone number. Web servers have IP addresses so browsers know exactly where to find them to request website files.

• Why do some websites load faster than others?

  Speed depends on many things: the size of images, the power of the hosting server, and how well-coded the site is. A site with large, unoptimised images on a slow server will load much slower than a streamlined site on a powerful server.