Thesoftware to see the World Wide Web is called aweb browser. To access the World Wide Web, one also needs a connection to theInternet.
Many companies nowadays offerwebsite hosting allowing one to make websites that can be displayed on the World Wide Web, including a customdomain (www.stuff.com) site.
ThisNeXT Computer was used byTim Berners-Lee as the first web server and also to write the first web browser – WorldWideWeb.
The World Wide Web was created byTim Berners-Lee in1989 while he was working atCERN, a research center in Switzerland. He wanted to help scientists share documents and information easily over theInternet. He suggested a system usinghypertext, which lets people click on links to move between documents.[1]
In1990, Berners-Lee made the first version of the Web. It included:
The firstweb page, which explained what the Web was and how to use it.[2][3][4]
In1991, the Web became available to researchers outside CERN. By1993, it began to grow fast. That year, theMosaic browser was released. It was the first popular browser with graphics, which made the Web end helped it spread worldwide.[5][6]
In1994, Berners-Lee startedWorld Wide Web Consortium (W3C) atMIT to create a couple standards that would keep the Web open and accessible for everyone.[7]
Over time, the Web changed:
In the 2000s, websites became more interactive withJavaScript,CSS, andAJAX, leading to what's calledWeb 2.0.
The World Wide Web works by combining several technologies so people can view and interact with content on the Internet.
When someone opens a website using aweb browser, the browser sends a request to aweb server asking for aweb page. The server then sends the content back to the browser. This content is usually written inHTML (Hypertext Markup Language), which describes the structure of the page.[10]
Some websites also get extra content from other servers, like ads, videos, or social media tools. Many modern websites usedynamic content, which lets them update part of the page without needing to reload everything.[15]
Most websites useHTTPS, which adds the TLSencryption layer on top of HTTP. This keeps data like passwords and personal information safe from eavesdropping and tampering. HTTPS also lets browsers verify a site’s identity using digital certificates, and ensures the content isn’t changed in transit.[16][17]
Modern browsers block certain sensitive features unless the page is delivered via HTTPS. They also enforce security features like HSTS, certificate transparency, and improved cipher suites.[17]
Aweb browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari) requests web pages from servers, renders HTML/CSS/JavaScript, and provides tools like bookmarks, history, cookies, form support, and security features.[27][28]
Aweb server is a computer (with server software like Apache, Nginx, CERN httpd) that listens for HTTP/HTTPS requests and returns web content—HTML, images, CSS, JavaScript. Servers can also generate pages dynamically using scripting languages.[28]
TheWeb platform refers to open standards like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and APIs maintained by the W3C and other groups.[31]
Web Components let developers create custom HTML elements with their own encapsulated structure, styling (Shadow DOM), and behavior (via JavaScript). They're supported in modern browsers.
The Web uses aclient–server model: aweb browser (client) sends requests to aweb server, which then delivers content such asHTML pages, images, CSS, and JavaScript back to the client. Requests and responses typically travel over anInternet network, often using separate machines for client and server.[32][33]
Each resource on the Web—like a page, image, or video—is uniquely identified by aURI (or URL). These identifiers let browsers locate and request resources.[34]
TheHTTP protocol, developed in 1990, defines how browsers ask for resources (with methods like GET and POST) and how servers respond.[35]
HTTPS adds TLS (formerly SSL) encryption on top of HTTP. It protects data in transit, verifies server identity, and prevents tampering or eavesdropping.[36]
These protocols run over the **TCP/IP** suite, which ensures reliable data transmission across networks.[37]
The Web follows the REST architecture style, which promotes stateless, uniform interactions, linking between resources, and scalable systems. It was defined by Roy Fielding in 2000.[34]
According to W3C's architecture documents, the Web is built around:
Identification of resources via URIs,
Representation of the resource's current state (HTML, JSON,XML, etc.),
Interaction using protocols like HTTP and standards to ensure consistency and growth.[38]
Also called Web 3.0, this movement uses technologies likeblockchain, peer-to-peer networking, and smart contracts. It aims to return control over data, identity, and assets (e.g.,NFTs) to users. Applications include decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized apps (dApps), and alternative storage systems.[39]
AI andmachine learning power personalization, automation, and smart services. TheSemantic Web adds meaning to data for better machine understanding and smarter search. Emerging agentic features include autonomous software agents that can act on the user’s behalf.[40]
Web browsers now support 3D graphics directly through WebGL, upcoming WebGPU, AR/VR capabilities, and platforms like Web3D. This enables in-browser 3D models, virtual tours, and interactive experiences.[39]
A rise in edge computing means more data is processed on devices likesmartphones and sensors. Combined with theInternet of Things (IoT), it brings real‑world devices online for faster, localized computing.[41]
There are rising concerns overdeepfakes, AI manipulation, and the splintering of the Web into national or corporate islands. Some propose blockchain-based identity, content authenticity schemes, and decentralisation to restore trust, openness, and resist monopolistic control.[42][43]
↑Fensel, Dieter (2011).Foundations for the Web of Information and Services: A Review of 20 Years of Semantic Web Research. Springer.ISBN978-3-642-19796-3.
