WHAT IS A WEB SERVER?
How Does It All Work?
Although websites are everywhere around us, and seemingly everyone has one, there are many parts that need to work together in order for them to work properly. If you want to learn more about websites and how they work behind the scenes, you came to the right place! This series will break down what happens when you use a website, as well as what goes into building one.
What is a Web Server?
Essentially, a web server is just a computer. It doesn't have a mouse, keyboard or a screen connected to it. It never turns off, and it is sitting in an air conditioned warehouse in a stack with many many similar computers.
Web servers are the computers that are responsible for executing back end source code and returning the requested page to the web browser. They may also have databases set up on them to store data. Just like your own computer, they can be upgraded with extra memory or storage depending on the amount of traffic a website gets.
When you visit a website, your web browser is actually making a request to a web server that contains the source code for the website. Unlike your own computer, the web server is configured to allow certain files (mainly the source code of the website) to be accessed by anyone from any computer in the world.
These days, is unlikely that your web developer actually has a web server sitting in their office. There are many reliable services that will rent out the use of web servers for a monthly fee, including Amazon, Digital Ocean and Vultr. These companies work hard to make sure their servers are stable, load quickly, and are available all the time from any location.
What's Next?
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What is a Database?If this page left you wondering about other parts of web development, check out the answers to some other common questions below!