URL which is an abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator is used to navigate to any file, page, graphic, document or a program that’s accessible on the World Wide Web. The URL itself consist of a formatted string of text which points the software to the desired online resource. The URL consists of the name of the protocol which is utilized to get to the file resource, a domain name that points to a specific computer on the Internet, and a pathname, which hierarchically describes the location of a file in the same computer.
How Does URL Work?
A URL or Universal Resource Locator is basically an IP address that has been converted into words so it’s simpler for humans to understand and remember. When you type a URL into your browser you are connecting to a server at a specific IP location. You make the URL associated with the IP by using a DNS (domain name server). The DNS system is, in fact, a network of its own. If a DNS server can’t find the entry or doesn’t understand a particular domain name, it sends the request to another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned.
URL Shortening
URL shortening is a technique that allows the user to convert a long web address to a shorter version that still points to the original online resource. The technique may be useful in several situations. For example, free hosting space may generate a URL that’s hard to memorize or doesn’t look too well. Many users of social network sites like Twitter that have a character restriction use URL shorteners to make links fit easier in messages. This method bears some security risks. You must entirely trust the source that provides you with a shortened link because you can’t see the original. This is often used by spammers and hackers.