There are a lot of things that make the internet work. As a web developer not every topic is crucial to know, particularly as a beginner. A few of the more important topics are covered here briefly and summarized below:
- Client-Server Model: Client-server is the architecture where the client (web browser) sends requests to the server (where the website's files are stored) and receives responses, enabling communication and data exchange.
- DNS (Domain Name System): DNS is like a phone book that translates domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses, allowing your browser to locate the correct server and access websites.
- IP Address: An IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to each device connected to a network, allowing them to be identified and located on the internet.
- HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): HTTP is the language or protocol used by the client and server to communicate with each other, enabling the exchange of information and resources, such as web pages and data.
- SSL/TLS: SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and its successor TLS (Transport Layer Security) are encryption protocols that secure the communication between a client and a server, ensuring data privacy and integrity.
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a reliable and connection-oriented protocol that ensures the secure and ordered delivery of data packets over a network.
- Web Hosting: Web hosting is a service that provides the infrastructure and resources to store and serve website files, making them accessible on the internet.
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A URL is the address that specifies the location of a web resource, like a webpage, on the internet, and it usually begins with "http://" or "https://".
- Internet Service Provider (ISP): The company that offers you a service so you have internet access at home. Typically, you pay a monthly fee to receive a certain amount of data bandwidth speed. Your devices connect to a switch which in turn connect to a modem which connects you to the internet. Nowadays, a switch and a modem are combined into one device and colloquially called a router.
- Sockets: a programming command that is offered by the operating system of your computer to allow applications to make networking requests and receive responses.
Other topics like the networking infrastructure (including switches, modems and routers), Internet Service Provider(ISP), OSI Model and the more dominant TCP/IP model are covered in this series which also provides informative graphics: https://vahid.blog/post/2020-12-15-how-the-internet-works-part-i-infrastructure/