UNIT 1
Introduction to Computer Network and Internet Basics
1. Introduction to Web
The World Wide Web (WWW) or web is an internet based service, which uses common set of
rules known as protocols, to distribute documents across the Internet in a standard way. World
Wide Web, which is also known as a Web, is a collection of websites or web pages stored in
web servers and connected to local computers through the internet. These websites contain text
pages, digital images, audios, videos, etc. Users can access the content of these sites from any
part of the world over the internet using their devices such as computers, laptops, cell phones,
etc. The WWW, along with internet, enables the retrieval and display of text and media to your
device.
The World Wide Web. Or ‘Web’ is a part of the Internet. The Web is viewed through web
browser software such as Google chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox etc. Using
browsers one can access the digital libraries containing innumerable articles, journals, e-books,
news, tutorials stored in the form of web pages on computers around the world called web
servers-Today thousands of web pages/websites are added to the WWW every hour.
• The Web was invented in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee, while consulting at CERN (European
Organization for Nuclear Research) in Switzerland.
• The Web is a distributed information system.
• The Web contains multimedia. Information in the Web is connected by hyperlinks.
Internet
Internet is a global communication system that links together thousands of individual networks.
It allows exchange of information between two or more computers on a network. Thus internet
helps in transfer of messages through mail, chat, video & audio conference, etc. It has become
mandatory for day-to-day activities: bills payment, online shopping and surfing, tutoring,
working, communicating with peers, etc.
Internet was evolved in 1969, under the project called ARPANET (Advanced Research
Projects Agency Network) to connect computers at different universities and U.S. defence.
Soon after the people from different backgrounds such as engineers, scientists, students and
researchers started using the network for exchanging information and messages.
In 1990s the internet working of ARPANET, NSFnet and other private networks resulted into
Internet. Therefore, Internet is a global network of computer networks’ . It comprises of
millions of computing devices that carry and transfer volumes of information from one device
to the other. Desktop computers, mainframes, GPS units, cell phones, car alarms, video game
consoles, are connected
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• Internet vs. Web:
The Internet is a global network of interconnected computer networks, while the Web is one of
many applications built on top of the Internet, providing a system of interconnected documents
and resources.
• Web Pages and Websites:
Web pages are primarily text documents formatted with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML),
often containing multimedia content like images, video, and audio. A collection of related web
pages, typically under a common domain name, forms a website.
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• Search Engines and Web Browsers:
A program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or
characters specified by the user, used especially for finding particular sites on the World Wide
Web is called a search engine.
Whereas, a web browser is a software application that allows you to access information using
the World Wide Web.
• Web Servers:
A web server is a system—either software, hardware, or both—that stores, processes, and
delivers web content to users over the Internet using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol. When a
user’s browser sends a request (like visiting a website), the web server responds by delivering
the appropriate resources, such as HTML pages, images, videos, or data.
How Does a Web Server Work?
When a user accesses a website by entering a URL in their web browser, the browser sends an
HTTP request to the web server hosting the website. The web server processes this request and
returns the necessary resources to display the page on the user’s browser.
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• Hyperlinks:
Embedded links within web pages that allow users to navigate between different web pages or
resources.
• Protocols:
Standardized rules governing communication on the Web. The most common is HTTP
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol), used for transferring web pages and other content.
2. Web Development
Web development is the process of creating, building, and maintaining websites and web
applications. It involves everything from web design to programming and database
management. Web development is generally divided into three core areas: Frontend
Development, Backend Development, and Full Stack Development.
Frontend Development
Frontend development refers to everything that users see and interact with on the website. It
involves the design, structure, and layout of the website and is often referred to as the ‘client
side’ of an application.
Frontend Technologies
• HTML: HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is the standard markup
language used to create and design web pages, defining their structure and layout.
• CSS: Cascading Style Sheets fondly referred to as CSS is a simply designed language
intended to simplify the process of making web pages presentable. It is used to style
our website.
• JavaScript: JavaScript is a scripting language used to provide a dynamic behavior to
our website.
Frontend Frameworks/Libraries
• React.js : A popular JavaScript library for building dynamic, component-based user
interfaces.
• Angular : A full-fledged framework for building single-page applications (SPAs), with
features like two-way data binding and dependency injection.
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• Vue.js : A progressive JavaScript framework that is flexible and can be used for building
both simple and complex user interfaces.
Backend Development
Backend development refers to the server side of a website, where the logic and data are
processed and stored. Users do not directly interact with this part, but it ensures that the website
works properly.
Server-side Programming Languages and Frameworks
PHP: PHP is a server-side scripting language designed specifically for web development.
Java: Java is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages. It is highly
scalable.
Python: Python is a programming language that lets you work quickly and integrate systems
more efficiently.
Ruby: Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, object-oriented, general-purpose programming language.
C# : C# is a high-level, general-purpose programming language developed by Microsoft.
Backend Languages Backend Frameworks
PHP Laravel, Wordpress
Java Spring, Hibernate
Python Django, Flask, Python PIP
Ruby Ruby on Rails
C# .NET
Databases MySQL,PostgreSQL
MongoDB MariaDB
Full Stack Development
Full-stack development refers to the practice of developing both the frontend and backend of a
website or web application. Full-stack developers have a deep understanding of both areas and
can build end-to-end solutions.
Full Stack Technologies:
MERN Stack : MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js
MEAN Stack : MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, Node.js
JAMstack : JavaScript, APIs, Markup
Django Stack : Django, MySQL/PostgreSQL, HTML/CSS/JavaScript
Spring Boot Stack : Spring Boot, MySQL/PostgreSQL, Java
LAMP Stack : Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP
LEMP Stack : Linux, Engine-X, MySQL, PHP
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3. Client Server Architecture
The Client-Server Model is a distributed application architecture that divides tasks or
workloads between servers (providers of resources or services) and clients (requesters of those
services). In this model, a client sends a request to a server for data, which is typically processed
on the server side. The server then returns the requested data to the client.
Clients generally do not share resources with each other, but instead rely on the server to
provide the resources or services requested. Common examples of the client-server model
include email systems and the World Wide Web (WWW), where email clients interact with
mail servers, and web browsers request resources from web servers.
How Does the Client-Server Model Work?
In this article, we are going to take a dive into the Client-Server model and have a look at how
the Internet works via, web browsers. This article will help us have a solid WEB foundation
and help us easily work with WEB technologies.
Client
When we talk about a "Client," it refers to a device (usually a computer, smartphone, or
application) that requests and receives services from a server. The client is the entity that
initiates communication, asking for data or resources from the server. For instance, web
browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari are common client applications
that request data from a server to render web pages.
Server
A Server, on the other hand, is a remote computer or system that provides data, resources, or
services to clients. It listens to incoming client requests, processes them, and sends the required
information back. A server can handle multiple client requests simultaneously.
For example, Web servers host websites, and database servers store and serve databases for
applications. In simple terms, the client sends a request to the server, and the server serves the
request as long as the data or service is available in its system.
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Advantages of the Client-Server Model
The Client-Server model offers several advantages that make it popular in networked
and distributed systems:
• Centralized Data Management: All data is stored in a centralized server, which makes
it easier to manage, update, and back up.
• Cost Efficiency: Since the server handles most of the processing, clients require fewer
resources and can be simpler devices, reducing costs.
• Scalability: Both clients and servers can be scaled separately. Servers can be upgraded
to handle more clients, and new clients can be added without significant changes to the
server infrastructure.
• Data Recovery: Centralized data storage on the server allows for better data
recovery and easier backup strategies.
• Security: Security measures such as firewalls, encryption, and authentication can be
centralized on the server, ensuring that sensitive data is protected.
Disadvantages of Client-Server Model
• Clients Are Vulnerable: Clients are prone to viruses, Trojans, and worms if present in
the Server or uploaded into the Server.
• Servers Are Targets: Servers are prone to Denial of Service (DOS) attacks, where the
server is overwhelmed with traffic and made unavailable to legitimate clients.
• Data Spoofing and Modification: Data packets may be spoofed or modified during
transmission if the proper security measures (e.g., encryption) are not implemented.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks: Phishing or capturing login credentials or other
useful information of the user are common and MITM(Man in the Middle) attacks are
common.
Real-World Examples of the Client-Server Model
A. Email Systems
• Client: The user’s email client (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Gmail App).
• Server: The email server (e.g., Gmail Server, Yahoo Mail Server).
• How It Works: The email client requests emails from the server, and the server delivers
them. Similarly, when the user sends an email, the client communicates with the server
to send the message.
B. The World Wide Web
• Client: A web browser (e.g., Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox).
• Server: A web server (e.g., Apache Server, Nginx Server).
• How It Works: The browser requests the web pages from the server, and the server
sends the HTML files back to the client, which are then rendered and displayed.
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C. Cloud Storage Services
• Client: The user’s device (e.g., smartphone, PC).
• Server: A cloud server (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox).
• How It Works: The client uploads files to the server and can download them when
needed. The server stores all the user’s files centrally, ensuring remote access to data.
4. Service Provider (ISP)
An Internet service provider (ISP) is any company that provides Internet access to consumers
and businesses. The Internet is provided through a variety of channels, including cable, DSL,
fiber optics, dial-up, and wireless, with most ISPs offering all options. Most large
telecommunication companies, such as mobile and cable companies, are ISPs.
ISPs make it possible for their customers to surf the web, shop online, conduct business, and
connect with family and friends—all for a fee. ISPs may also provide other services, including
email services, domain registration, web hosting, and browser packages.
An ISP may also be referred to as an information service provider, a storage service provider,
an Internet network service provider (INSP), or any combination of these three based on the
services offered by the company.
5. Internet Addressing: IP Address IPv4 and IPv6
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a set of rules and a method designed to allow a
device to access the Internet and serve as a unique identification medium.
An Internet protocol address (IP address) is designed to have a unique combination of numbers
and periods, such as 192.178.13.2. This combination of numbers acts as the system's identity
when it connects to the Internet to access data.
IPv4 is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP). It is one of the core protocols of
standards-based internetworking methods in the Internet and other packet-switched networks.
IPv6 is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP), the communications protocol that
provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic
across the Internet.
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6. Domain Address
Every computer on the Internet has an address which is unique in nature. It is a string of
numbers and is referred to as IP address. To communicate with each other, computers identify
another computer via its IP address. It is represented in either dotted decimal notation or in
binary decimal notation. Example: The address 172.16.122.204 when represented like these in
dotted-decimal notation and it can be converted into binary notation. After conversion, it
becomes 10101100 00010000 01111010 11001100.
But it is difficult for humans to remember this IP address. Thus to find the location on the
Internet easily, DNS was invented. DNS stands for Domain Name Server. It implements a
distributed database which translates IP address into a unique alphanumeric address which is
referred to as Domain Names. Basically, a domain name is the sequence of letters and or
numbers separated by one or more period ("."). It is just like a pointer to a unique IP address
on the computer network. As an analogy one can consider Domain name as
address and DNS as address book of the Internet.
Example-1: Lets us consider an example for domain name;
www.google.com, www.yahoo.com etc
7. Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
A URL or Uniform Resource Locator is a Unique identifier that is contained by all the
resources available on the internet. It can help to locate a particular resource due to its
uniqueness. It is also known as the web address. A URL consists of different parts like
protocol, domain name, etc. The users can access the URLs by simply typing them inside the
address bar or by clicking any button or link web page.
Example URL:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
Different Parts of a URL
A URL consists of mutliple parts that can helps you to visit a particular page on the internet.
Every part of a URL has its own importance. Let us discuss about the different parts of a URL.
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The protocol or scheme:
A URL starts with a protocol that is used to access the resource on the internet. The resource is
accessed through the Domain Name System or DNS. There are multiple protocols available to
use like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, mailto, TELNET etc. The protocol used in the above URL
is https.
Domain or Host Name:
It is the reference or name of the page that you are going to access on the internet. In this case,
the domain name is: www.geeksforgeeks.org.
Port Name:
It is defined just after the domain name by using the colons between itself and the domain
name. Generally, it is not visible in the URL. The domain name and the port name combined
can be known as Authority. The default port for web services is port80 (:80).
Path:
It refers to the path or location of a particular file or page stored on the web server to access
the content of it. The path used here is: array-data-structure.
Query:
A query mainly found in the dynamic pages. It consists of a question mark(?) followed by the
parameters. In above URL query is: ?.
Parameters:
These are the pieces of information inside a query string of URL. Multiple parameters can be
passed to a URL by using the ampersand(&) symbol to separate them. The query parameter
in above URL is: ref=home-articlecards.
Fragments:
The fragments appear at the end of a URL starts with a Hashtag(#) symbol. These are the
internal page references that refers to a specific section within the page. The fragment in the
above URL is: #what-is-array.
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8. Services: FTP, Telnet, E-mail (SMTP), WWW (HTTP), DNS.
TELNET
Telnet stands for the TELetype NETwork. It helps in terminal emulation. It allows Telnet clients
to access the resources of the Telnet server. It is used for managing files on the Internet. It is
used for the initial setup of devices like switches. The telnet command is a command that uses
the Telnet protocol to communicate with a remote device or system. The port number of the
telnet is 23.
FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It is the protocol that actually lets us transfer files. It can
facilitate this between any two machines using it. But FTP is not just a protocol but it is also a
program.FTP promotes sharing of files via remote computers with reliable and efficient data
transfer. The Port number for FTP is 20 for data and 21 for control.
SMTP
It stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is a part of the TCP/IP protocol. Using a process
called "store and forward," SMTP moves your email on and across networks. It works closely
with something called the Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) to send your communication to the right
computer and email inbox. The Port number for SMTP is 25.
SNMP
It stands for Simple Network Management Protocol. It gathers data by polling the devices on
the network from a management station at fixed or random intervals, requiring them to disclose
certain information. It is a way that servers can share information about their current state, and
also a channel through which an administrate can modify pre-defined values. The Port number
of SNMP is 161(TCP) and 162(UDP).
DNS
It stands for Domain Name System. Every time you use a domain name, therefore, a DNS
service must translate the name into the corresponding IP address. For example, the domain
name www.abc.com might translate to 198.105.232.4.
The Port number for DNS is 53.
DHCP
It stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). It gives IP addresses to hosts.
There is a lot of information a DHCP server can provide to a host when the host is registering
for an IP address with the DHCP server. Port number for DHCP is 67, 68.
HTTP/HTTPS
HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, and HTTPS is the more secure version of HTTP
That's why HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. This protocol is used to
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access data from the World Wide Web. The Hypertext is the well-organised documentation
system that is used to link pages in a text document.
• HTTP is based on the client-server model.
• It uses TCP for establishing connections.
• HTTP is a stateless protocol, which means the server doesn't maintain any information
about the previous request from the client.
• HTTP uses port number 80 for establishing the connection.
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