How do I type in a web address to open it? What is the difference between a website and a URL?

In today's highly developed Internet, URLs have become an important entry point for us to get information and browse contents. However, there are still many users who have doubts about “how to input and open a web site” and “the difference between a website and a web site”. Next, we will answer these questions in detail.

First, how to enter the URL to open?

Web site, that is, the address of the Web page on the Internet, is to access the site's “door number”. Input and open the Web site on the computer, you can refer to the following steps:

1. Start the browser: double-click the browser icon on the desktop (such as Chrome, Edge, 360 browser, etc.), open the browser application.

2. Locate the URL bar: At the top of the browser interface, find the area for entering URLs, usually called the “address bar” or “URL bar”.

3. Enter the URL: Use the keyboard to enter the full URL exactly as it appears in the URL bar. Note that the URL should contain a protocol header (e.g., http://或https://, which is more secure and is preferred), a domain name (e.g., baidu.com), and in some cases a specific path and parameters (e.g., /search?q=test).

4. Access to the site: After you finish typing, press Enter on your keyboard, the browser will start parsing the URL and load the content of the corresponding website.

For example, if you want to visit Baidu, enter https://www.baidu.com后回车 in the URL bar to enter the Baidu home page.

What is the difference between a website and a URL?

Website and URL are closely related, but there are obvious differences in concept:

(a) different meanings

-Website: is a collection of concepts, referring to the inclusion of web content, website domain names, servers (web hosting or space) and other elements of the whole. It not only has text, pictures, videos and other information that can be browsed by users, but also needs a server to store and transmit these data, while realizing external access through the domain name (the core part of the URL).

-URL: Essentially an address, similar to a real-life house number, is a string of characters that a user enters into a browser to locate and access a specific website. Through the URL, the user's request can be accurately sent to the corresponding server to access the content of the website.

(ii) Different functions and meanings

-Website: It is the carrier that provides users with specific services and contents, and is the core part of Internet applications. Different types of websites (such as information, e-commerce, social networking) have their own functions to meet the diverse needs of users, and are an important part of the main body of network behavior.

-URL: It is the entrance to access the website, which can be changed according to the demand (e.g. changing the domain name), but the core content and function of the website will not be changed as a result. In addition, the URL (domain name) is one of the key elements that make up a website, but the domain name alone cannot constitute a complete website, it also needs to be paired with a server, webpage code, content resources, etc., in order to provide services to users. Simply put, the website contains the URL, and the URL is the “window” for the website to show to the outside world.

In the Internet, the URL is like a bridge connecting different computers and websites. When we want to access a website from one computer to another, entering the URL accurately is an essential step. Understanding the difference between a website and a web address, and mastering how to enter a web address, can help us swim in the Internet world more efficiently and conveniently.