Module 1:Internet & Web Technologies

1. What is the Internet?

The Internet is a massive global communication network that interconnects millions of private,
public, academic, government, and business networks. It enables devices across the world to
exchange information instantly. It is not controlled by any single authority but operates through
open standards and protocols that allow universal communication.

Deeper Theory (Important for Exams)

●​ The Internet originated from ARPANET, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense.​

●​ It uses a decentralized architecture, which means no single institution controls the

entire internet.​

●​ Data transmission occurs through packet switching:​

Information is divided into small packets, transmitted through different routes, and
reassembled at the destination.​

●​ The Internet operates on the TCP/IP layered architecture, consisting of:​

○​ Application Layer – HTTP, FTP, DNS​

○​ Transport Layer – TCP, UDP​

○​ Internet Layer – IP addressing & routing​

○​ Network Access Layer – Ethernet, Wi-Fi

Why the Internet Works Reliably

●​ Redundant routes ensure communication continues even if some paths fail.​

●​ Standardized protocols allow different devices, operating systems, and networks to

communicate smoothly.​

●​ Distributed DNS and routing ensure excellent fault tolerance and global availability.​
2. Web Browsers and Web Servers

Web Browser
A web browser is an application used to access, interpret, and display web pages. It converts
raw HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files into interactive visual content. Browsers also ensure
security, manage cookies, cache content, and isolate processes to prevent crashes.

Internal Architecture of a Browser (Exam Important)

●​ User Interface Layer – Address bar, buttons, tabs.​

●​ Browser Engine – Communicates between UI and rendering engine.​

●​ Rendering Engine – Parses HTML & CSS → Builds DOM & CSSOM → Generates
Render Tree → Layout → Paint.​

●​ JavaScript Engine – Executes JS code (e.g., V8, SpiderMonkey).​

●​ Networking Module – Handles HTTP/HTTPS requests, caching, and security.​

●​ Data Storage Layer – Cookies, localStorage, sessionStorage, IndexedDB.​

Rendering Process (5 Marks)

1.​ Browser receives HTML.​

2.​ Constructs DOM Tree.​

3.​ Parses CSS → CSSOM Tree.​

4.​ Merges DOM + CSSOM → Render Tree.​

5.​ Layout: Calculates size & position of elements.​

6.​ Paint: Draws pixels on the screen.​

Web Server
A web server is a combination of hardware and software that stores website files and delivers
them to clients using HTTP/HTTPS.

Functions of a Web Server

●​ Handles incoming HTTP/HTTPS requests.​

●​ Processes backend logic (PHP, [Link], Python, etc.).​

●​ Communicates with databases.​

●​ Manages sessions, cookies, and authentication.​

●​ Sends back HTML/CSS/JS or API responses.​

Types of Web Servers

●​ Static Servers: Serve only static files (HTML, CSS, JS).​

●​ Dynamic Servers: Generate content dynamically using server-side scripts.​

Server Processing Cycle

1.​ Receive client request.​

2.​ Match the request to a route/handler.​

3.​ Execute backend logic.​

4.​ Query/update database.​

5.​ Prepare response.​

6.​ Send response to browser.​

Common misconception: Servers do NOT display pages; they only send files.
Browsers display them.
How Browsers and Servers Interact
Communication follows the Client–Server Model.

Steps:

1.​ Browser sends an HTTP request to the server.​

2.​ Server processes it and generates a response.​

3.​ Browser receives the response.​

4.​ Browser renders the webpage.​

This is called the Request–Response Cycle.

Modern communication uses AJAX/Fetch for asynchronous updates without page reloads.

3. Addressing and Working of the Web

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

A URL is the complete address used to locate a resource on the internet.​
Example:​
[Link]

Components:

●​ Protocol – https​

●​ Domain – [Link]​

●​ Path – /products​

●​ Query Parameter – id=23​

●​ Fragment – optional (#section)​

DNS (Domain Name System)
DNS is the phonebook of the internet.​
It converts domain names into IP addresses.

DNS Resolution Process

1.​ Browser checks cache.​

2.​ Queries recursive resolver.​

3.​ Resolver contacts root server.​

4.​ Goes to TLD server (.com, .org).​

5.​ Contacts authoritative name server.​

6.​ Retrieves the IP address.​

Hierarchical structure ensures speed and reliability.

IP Address
An IP address uniquely identifies a device on the internet.

Types of IP Addresses

●​ IPv4: 32-bit, ~4.3 billion addresses.​

Example: [Link]​

●​ IPv6: 128-bit, extremely large address space.​

IP addresses help in routing data packets across networks.

How the Web Works (Step-by-Step)
1.​ User enters URL in browser.​

2.​ Browser performs DNS lookup.​

3.​ TCP connection is established.​

4.​ Browser sends HTTP request.​

5.​ Server returns HTTP response.​

6.​ Browser renders webpage.​

4. Web Protocols
Protocols are standardized rules for communication between devices on the internet.

Common Protocols
●​ HTTP / HTTPS – Browsing, APIs​

●​ FTP – File transfer​

●​ SMTP, IMAP, POP3 – Email​

●​ TCP/IP – Core data transmission​

●​ SSH – Secure remote login​

Layers of Protocols

Application Layer:

●​ HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, IMAP, POP3​

Transport Layer:

●​ TCP – Reliable, connection-oriented​

●​ UDP – Fast, no guarantee​

Internet Layer:

●​ IP – Routing and addressing​

Network Access Layer:

●​ Ethernet, Wi-Fi​

Protocols ensure structured, interoperable, and error-free communication.

5. HTTP Request
Sent from browser to server.

Structure
GET /home HTTP/1.1
Host: [Link]
User-Agent: Chrome
Accept: */*

Common HTTP Methods

●​ GET – Retrieve data​

●​ POST – Send data​

●​ PUT – Update data​

●​ DELETE – Remove data​

Important:​
Never use GET to send passwords or sensitive information.
6. HTTP Response
Sent from server to browser.

Structure
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Length: 2048

Status Code Categories

●​ 2xx – Success​

○​ 200 OK​

●​ 3xx – Redirection​

○​ 301 Moved Permanently​

●​ 4xx – Client Errors​

○​ 400 Bad Request​

○​ 401 Unauthorized​

○​ 403 Forbidden​

○​ 404 Not Found​

●​ 5xx – Server Errors​

○​ 500 Internal Server Error​

7. Web Application Characteristics
A web application typically:

●​ Runs inside a browser​

●​ Uses HTML, CSS, JavaScript​

●​ Follows client–server model​

●​ Requires internet (mostly)​

●​ Is interactive and cross-platform​

Types of Web Applications

●​ Static Web Apps​

●​ Dynamic Web Apps​

●​ Single Page Applications (SPA)​

●​ Multi-Page Applications (MPA)​

●​ Progressive Web Apps (PWA)​

Modern Web App Features

●​ Asynchronous updates using AJAX/Fetch​

●​ Offline support (PWAs)​

●​ Push notifications​

●​ Installable web apps​

●​ Responsive design for all devices​

8. Technologies for Client-Side and Server-Side
Programming

Client-Side (Frontend)
Runs in browser:

●​ HTML​

●​ CSS​

●​ JavaScript​

Server-Side (Backend)
Runs on server:

●​ [Link]​ ●​ Java (Spring)​

●​ PHP​ ●​ Ruby (Rails

●​ Python (Django, Flask)​

​
Databases
●​ MySQL​

●​ MongoDB​

●​ PostgreSQL

Key Difference

●​ Client-side: UI, user interaction, rendering​

●​ Server-side: Logic, authentication, database operations