TECHNOLOGY
What Happens When You Open a Web Page
Contributor: NudgeQ Admin
A web page is delivered through several cooperating systems. A browser requests resources, receives responses, and uses those resources to display content. The details vary, but the client-server model explains the basic relationship.
A domain name is resolved to a network destination through DNS. The browser establishes a connection and sends a request. A server returns content or an error response. The browser interprets HTML for structure, CSS for presentation, and JavaScript for supported behaviour. Additional resources may require further requests.
Some information may already be cached, so every visit does not repeat every transfer. A slow page can result from the network, server work, large resources, or processing on the device. An internet connection alone does not guarantee that a particular service is available.
Practice: Draw the browser, DNS, and server as separate components. Label where a missing domain, unavailable server, or oversized image could affect the experience.
Approved publication version 7. New author edits appear only after review.
