Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are most commonly used to identify resources on the World Wide Web (WWW) and specify how to access them. Some common applications of URLs include:
- Web Browsing: URLs are used to access and display web pages through a web browser.
- File Downloads: URLs can be used to download files such as images, videos, and documents from the internet.
- Online Services: URLs are used to access online services like email, cloud storage, and social media platforms.
- Online Shopping: URLs can be used to access online shopping websites and purchase products or services.
- Streaming Media: URLs can be used to stream music, videos, and other types of media from online platforms.
- Search Engines: URLs are used to search for information on the internet using search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
- Database Access: URLs can be used to access databases and retrieve information from them.
- Application Programming Interfaces (APIs): URLs can be used to access APIs, which provide programmatic access to data and services on the internet.
- Deep Linking: URLs can be used to link directly to specific pages or content within a website, making it easier for users to find what they're looking for.
Overall, URLs play a crucial role in accessing and organizing the vast amount of information and resources available on the internet.
URLs can make requests of host computers. For example, the URL
cplusoop.com is a request for the computer named www in the domain ooportal.com to run a program. This type of URL is used for building interactive Web sites using CGI scripts and other programming techniques.
A uniform resource locator (abbreviated URL; also known as a web address) is a specific character string that constitutes a reference to a resource.
Most web browsers display the URL of a web page above the page in an address bar. A URL implies the means to access an indicated resource, which is not true of every URI. URLs occur most commonly to reference web pages (http), but can also have a role in
- file transfer (ftp),
- email (mailto),
- database access (JDBC),
- and many other applications (see URI scheme for a list).