The World Wide Web

internet · technology · information

What it actually is. The World Wide Web isn't the Internet itself, it's a system that runs on top of the Internet. Think of the Internet as the highways connecting cities, and the Web as the way you travel those highways to find things.

How it works. The Web uses something called HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which is a set of rules that tells computers how to ask for and share documents. When you click a link or type a web address, your computer is following these rules to find and show you the information you want.

Connected information. Everything on the Web is linked together by hyperlinks, those clickable words and images that take you from one page to another. This linking system makes it easy to jump between related information anywhere in the world instantly.

Who invented it. Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, created the World Wide Web in 1989 while working at a research center in Switzerland. He wanted to help scientists share information more easily, and his invention changed how the whole world communicates.

Global and free. One amazing thing about the Web is that it was designed to be open and free for everyone to use. Berners-Lee didn't patent his invention, which meant anyone could build websites and share information without paying anyone permission.