What is a Web Server and How They Work?

What is a web server? How do they work? How many types are there? Often these questions confuse us. The work web servers are used for is sometimes unclear so let us dive into it and try to explain it as simply as possible. For more such amazing concepts explained easily enroll in the coding program of 98thPercentile and make your child ready for the future. 

Defining Web server 

A computer system that serves websites and sends web pages to users via the internet is called a web server. The web server retrieves and displays the requested webpage when you enter a web address into your browser. 

How Does a Web Server Work? 

How web server works is a simple yet interesting procedure-  
 
1. Request: The user sends a request to the web server by typing a URL into their browser. 
2. Receive: The request is received by the web server.  
3. Process: After processing the request, it identifies the resource or webpage that was asked for.  
4. Retrieve: If necessary, the server uses databases and apps to create the requested file dynamically while retrieving it from storage.  
5. Response: The user's browser receives the created or fetched content from the server.  
6. Display: After receiving the response, the browser shows the user the webpage. 

This procedure guarantees that consumers receive web pages from the internet effectively and efficiently. 

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How Do You Use a Web Server? 

Web servers can be used quite simply-

• Managing Requests 
  Your web browser sends a request to the web server when you enter a URL. The webpage address that you wish to visit is included in this request.
• Handling the Request 
  After receiving the request, the web server handles it. It chooses which webpage to deliver after verifying the provided URL. The server retrieves the requested page from its storage, which is often a hard drive or solid-state drive if it is available.
• Encouraging the Reaction 
  The requested webpage is returned to your browser by the web server after it has been retrieved. We refer to this as a reaction. The webpage then appears on your screen according to your browser.
• Managing Dynamic Content 
  Web pages are occasionally created dynamically rather than as static files. For instance, the content you view on a website is customized when you check-in. In these situations, the content is created and delivered by the web server in collaboration with other software, such as databases and application servers. 

What are the Types of Web servers? 

Web servers come in a variety, the following being the most popular ones- 

• The most widely used web server software is Apache HTTP Server, which is renowned for its adaptability and versatility. 
• Nginx is widely used for providing static material, it is renowned for its excellent performance and little resource use. 
• Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) is a web server that is well-known for its interoperability with other Microsoft products and is mainly used on Windows servers. 
• Lighttpd is an open-source, speed-optimized lightweight web server with a minimal memory footprint and low CPU load.  
• Java-coded Jigsaw Server is capable of executing PHP and CGI scripts, and it is also open-source for customization.  
• The Sun Java System is not open-source, but it does support Web 2.0 technologies and several languages. 
• Because of its efficiency and speed, LiteSpeed is a high-performance web server that frequently takes the place of Apache. 

The delivery of material on the internet is largely dependent on web servers. Web servers enable all of your online activities, including reading the news, shopping, and checking email. You may have a greater respect for the technology that powers them if you know how they operate. For more in-depth knowledge visit www.98thpercentile.com and join the 2 weeks free trial coding classes now. 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Q.1. What is a web server?

Ans- It’s a system that provides users with access to web pages.

Q.2. How does a web server operate?  

Ans- It answers queries and returns web content.

Q.3. Which web servers are in popularity? 

Ans- Nginx, Apache, IIS, and Lighttpd are the most popular.

Q4. What is dynamic content? 

Ans- Content that is created instantly rather than beforehand.  

Q.5. Is Lighttpd available for free?  

Ans- Yes, it’s open-source and customizable. 

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