---
title: "Components that make up the Web"
subject: "Web Technology"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_7/web_technology:components-of-web"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/web_technology/components-of-web
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Components that make up the Web

Web Technology · Chapter 2: Web basics

- Asked in: 2068 Chaitra (old course), 5 marks
- Video: [How The Web Works - The Big Picture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJHvdBlSxug) — Academind
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/web_technology/components-of-web
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/web_technology/chapter-2

## Question

What are the different components that make up the Web? Describe briefly.

## Short answer

The Web's components include browsers, web servers, URLs, HTTP/HTTPS, HTML, hyperlinks, DNS, TCP/IP, databases, and server-side programs. They cooperate to locate, transmit, generate, and render web resources.

## Answer

The Web works through several cooperating components.

1. **Web clients (browsers):** Software such as Chrome or Firefox that sends HTTP requests, receives responses and renders pages.
2. **Web servers:** Programs (Apache, Nginx, IIS) that store web resources and reply to requests. Dynamic requests are passed to server-side programs.
3. **Web pages / documents and websites:** Resources written in HTML (with CSS, JavaScript, images, media). A website is a collection of related pages.
4. **URL (Uniform Resource Locator):** The unique address of a resource, e.g. `https://www.example.com:443/path/page.html?id=5`. It has a scheme, host, port, path and query.
5. **HTTP/HTTPS:** The application-level protocol that defines the request/response format (methods, headers, status codes).
6. **HTML:** The markup language that structures content and defines hyperlinks. CSS and JavaScript add style and behaviour.
7. **Hyperlinks / hypertext:** Links that connect one resource to another and make the Web a web of documents.
8. **DNS:** Converts domain names into IP addresses.
9. **Underlying Internet (TCP/IP):** Transports the data packets between client and server.
10. **Databases and server-side programs:** Generate dynamic content (PHP, Servlets, CGI).
11. **Search engines and proxies:** Help locate information and improve performance/security.

```text
Browser --URL--> DNS --> Web server --> (script) --> Database
   ^                         |
   +------ HTTP response ----+
```

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which parts make up a URL?
   A. Only host and domain
   B. Only IP address
   C. Only the protocol name
   D. Scheme, host, port, path and query
   Answer: D. The example https://www.example.com:443/path/page.html?id=5 contains all five. (Key point: URL)

2. What does HTTP define?
   A. The request/response format: methods, headers, status codes
   B. How domain names are resolved
   C. How pages are styled
   D. How packets are routed
   Answer: A. HTTP is the application-level protocol of the Web. (Key point: HTTP)

3. What is the role of DNS?
   A. Stores web pages
   B. Converts domain names to IP addresses
   C. Renders HTML
   D. Creates dynamic content
   Answer: B. DNS resolves names so clients can reach servers. (Key point: DNS)

4. What generates dynamic content on the Web?
   A. Hyperlinks only
   B. DNS
   C. Server-side programs and databases
   D. Static HTML files
   Answer: C. PHP, servlets and CGI with databases generate dynamic pages. (Key point: Dynamic content)

## Related in Web Technology

- [Web architecture and web-tier components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fweb_technology%3Aweb-architecture-tiers) — Web Technology, chapter 2

## Related in other subjects

- [Conditional GET; 3-tier architecture components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Finternet_and_intranet%3Aconditional-get-3tier) — Internet and Intranet, chapter 4
- [ER diagram: product and components](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fdatabase_management_system%3Aer-product-component) — Database Management System, chapter 2