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When you visit a website, what you see on your screen is a collection of files and data that are stored on computer system known as web server. A computer system that stores and delivers web pages to users when requested is known as web server. In this blog, we'll explain what a web server is and how it works in simple language.
What is a Web Server?
A web server is a computer program or a physical computer that is responsible for accepting HTTP requests from clients (web browsers), processing those requests, and sending back the requested resources in the form of web pages, images, videos, or any other content stored on the server.
How Does a Web Server Work?
A web server works in a client-server architecture, where the client (your web browser) requests information from the server, and the server responds by providing the requested information. Here's a simple step-by-step explanation of how it works:
When you type a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) into your web browser, it sends an HTTP request to the server hosting the website.
The web server receives the request and looks for the requested file or resource on its hard drive or in its memory.
If the file exists, the web server retrieves it and sends it back to your browser in the form of an HTTP response.
The HTTP response contains the requested file or resource, along with some metadata such as the file type, content-encoding, and cache settings.
Your web browser then interprets the response and displays the web page on your screen.
Types of Web Servers: There are many types of web servers, but the most commonly used ones are Apache, Nginx, and Microsoft IIS. These servers differ in their architecture, features, and performance.
Apache is the most widely used web server on the internet. It is an open-source web server that runs on almost all operating systems and supports a wide range of programming languages.
Nginx is a lightweight, high-performance web server that is designed to handle large traffic loads efficiently. It is often used as a reverse proxy and load balancer to distribute traffic across multiple web servers.
Microsoft IIS is a web server developed by Microsoft for the Windows operating system. It is popular among enterprises that use Microsoft technologies for their web applications.
Conclusion: A web server is a critical component of the World Wide Web, and it's what makes it possible for you to access websites and web applications. It stores and delivers web pages and other resources to your browser, and it does so quickly and efficiently. Understanding how web servers work is essential for web developers and anyone who wants to have a basic understanding of how the internet works.