What is the difference between a domain name and a URL? The difference lies in these 3 places
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Domain names and web addresses are two indispensable concepts in the use of the Internet. Domain names provide easy-to-remember identifiers for websites, while web addresses provide detailed path information that enables users to access specific resources. Understanding the differences and functions of the two will help to better use the Internet and improve awareness of network technology.
In the modern Internet world, domain names and web addresses are two common terms, but many people may not fully understand the difference between them. Although they are often confused, domain names and web addresses are actually different concepts. This article will explain their differences and their respective functions in detail.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a name used to identify a specific website on the Internet. It is a string of characters, usually composed of one or more parts (called labels) separated by dots (.). The main function of a domain name is to make it easier for users to remember and access websites without having to remember difficult-to-remember IP addresses (such as 192.168.1.1).
Examples:
google.com
wikipedia.org
amazon.com
Domain names usually consist of three parts:
1. Top-level domain name (TLD): This is the last part of the domain name, such as .com, .org, .net, etc. It can be divided into two categories: generic top-level domain name (gTLD) and country code top-level domain name (ccTLD).
2. Second-level domain name: This is the main part of the domain name, such as google, wikipedia, amazon, etc.
3. Subdomain: This is the part added before the second-level domain name to further divide the structure of the website, such as mail in mail.google.com.
What is a URL?
A URL (full name Uniform Resource Locator) is an address used to locate resources on the Internet. It not only contains the domain name, but also the specific path and protocol required to access the resource. The URL provides more detailed information to guide the browser on how to access a specific web page or file.
Example:
https://www.google.com/search?q=openai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html
A typical URL consists of the following parts:
1. Protocol: specifies the protocol used to access the resource, such as http, https, ftp, etc.
2. Domain name: the domain name used to locate the website, such as google.com.
3. Path: the path pointing to a specific resource, such as /search or /wiki/Internet.
4. Query string: additional parameters used to pass data, such as?q=openai.
5. Port number (optional): specifies the port number of the connection. By default, http uses 80 and https uses 443.
The main difference between domain name and URL
1. Definition and function:
Domain name: is the name of the website, used to identify and access the main part of the website. It is mainly used to simplify the memory and input of IP addresses.
URL: It is a complete address used to locate specific resources on the Internet, including domain name, path, protocol and other information.
2. Components:
Domain name: It consists of top-level domain name, second-level domain name and subdomain name.
URL: It contains protocol, domain name, path, query string and port number (optional).
3. Function:
Domain name: It provides website identification, allowing users to access the main page of the website.
URL: It provides a detailed path to access a specific web page or file, allowing the browser to accurately locate resources.
Example comparison
1. Domain name: amazon.com
2. URL: https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html
In this example, amazon.com is the domain name, which points to Amazon's main website. And https://www.amazon.com/gp/cart/view.html is the URL, which points to the shopping cart page on the Amazon website. The URL contains the protocol (https), subdomain (www), domain name (amazon.com), and path (/gp/cart/view.html), providing more detailed resource location information.
Conclusion:
Domain name and URL are two indispensable concepts in the use of the Internet. The domain name provides an easy-to-remember logo for the website, while the URL provides detailed path information, allowing users to access specific resources. Understanding the differences and functions of the two will help to better use the Internet and improve the understanding of network technology.
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