A web server is software or hardware that receives HTTP requests and delivers websites, APIs, and other web content to clients.
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Explore the role of a web server and understand how it receives, processes, and responds to requests from browsers and other clients. Course topics may include HTTP and HTTPS, domain names, IP addresses, ports, DNS, server hardware, operating systems, hosting environments, virtual hosts, configuration files, status codes, MIME types, logs, and the client-server model. This foundational learning helps students understand the complete path between a user request and the delivery of online content.
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What is a web server?
A web server is software or hardware that receives HTTP requests and delivers websites, APIs, and other web content to clients.
How does HTTP work between a browser and a web server?
A browser sends an HTTP request to a server, and the server returns an HTTP response containing a status code, headers, and often a response body.
What is the role of DNS in accessing a website?
DNS translates a domain name, such as example.com, into an IP address so the browser can locate the correct web server.
What is HTTPS and why is TLS important?
HTTPS is HTTP protected by TLS. TLS encrypts data in transit and helps verify that the client is communicating with the intended server.
What is a reverse proxy?
A reverse proxy sits in front of application servers, forwards client requests to them, and can handle TLS, caching, load balancing, and security controls.
What is the difference between a web server and an application server?
A web server commonly serves static files and manages HTTP connections, while an application server runs application logic to generate dynamic responses.
What do common HTTP status codes mean?
Status codes indicate request results: 200 means success, 301 or 302 means redirect, 404 means not found, and 500 means a server error.
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