You type islandclass.org, press Enter, and a page appears in a second or two. But where did that page actually come from? And how did your computer know where to find it? Let’s follow the trail.
In this post:
- The Internet and the World Wide Web: not the same thing!
- Web pages, websites, web servers and browsers
- The parts of a URL (web address)
- Hyperlinks
- Three activities and a quiz
The Internet vs the World Wide Web
People mix these up all the time, but they are different:
- The Internet is the giant network of computers connected all around the world by cables, Wi-Fi, mobile signals and satellites. Think of it as the roads.
- The World Wide Web (the Web, or WWW) is a huge collection of linked web pages that travel over the Internet. Think of it as the shops and buildings along the roads.
Email, WhatsApp messages and online games also use the Internet, but they are not part of the Web.
Who invented the Web?
The Web was invented by the British scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, while he was working at CERN, a science laboratory in Switzerland. He wanted scientists to share documents easily by linking them together. The first website went online in 1991, and he gave the idea to the world for free.
Image source: File:First Web Server.jpg (Wikimedia Commons)
The main features of the Web
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Web page | A single document on the Web. It can have text, pictures, sound, video and links. |
| Website | A group of related web pages under one name, such as islandclass.org. The first page is the home page. |
| Web server | A computer that stores websites and sends the pages to anyone who asks for them. |
| Web browser | The program you use to visit web pages: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Safari. |
| URL (web address) | The unique address of a web page, so the browser can find it. |
| Hyperlink | Text or a picture you click to jump to another page, file or place. |
Parts of a browser
Image source: File:Firefox web browser on wikipedia page.png (Wikimedia Commons)
- Address bar: type a URL here and press Enter.
- Back and Forward: move between pages you have visited.
- Reload (Refresh), F5: loads the page again.
- Tabs: keep several pages open at once (Ctrl + T opens a new tab).
- Bookmarks / Favourites (Ctrl + D): save a page so you can find it again.
- History (Ctrl + H): a list of pages you visited.
Reading a URL
Let’s take apart this real web address: https://islandclass.org/2018/05/17/ergonomics/
| Part | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | https:// | The rules the browser and server use to send the page. The s means secure: the information is scrambled on its way. (It does not prove the site tells the truth!) |
| Domain name | islandclass.org | The name of the website. Many sites start with www. |
| Top-level domain | .org | The ending, which gives a clue about the site: .com (business), .org (organisation), .edu (education), .gov (government), .tt (Trinidad and Tobago) |
| Path | /2018/05/17/ergonomics/ | Which page on the website you want, a bit like folders on a computer |
Hyperlinks
A hyperlink (link) is usually blue, underlined text, but pictures and buttons can be links too. When you point at one, the mouse pointer turns into a little hand 👆, and the link’s address appears at the bottom of the window. Click to jump to another page, a different part of the same page, a file to download, or even a new email. Hold Ctrl while clicking to open the link in a new tab. Links are what make it a web: millions of pages joined together.
Watch: what is the World Wide Web?
This animated TED-Ed lesson explains where the Web came from and how links connect pages. What problem was Tim Berners-Lee trying to solve?
Video: What is the world wide web? – Twila Camp – TED-Ed – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8hzJxb0rpc
Activity: web words and URL parts
Try it: match each one
Choose the right name for each part or description.
https:// | |
islandclass.org | |
.org | |
/2018/05/17/ergonomics/ | |
| Blue underlined words that take you to another page | |
| Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari | |
| A computer that stores websites and sends out the pages |
Activity: the Web, or just the Internet?
Try it: Web or not?
Everything here uses the Internet. But is it the World Wide Web (web pages in a browser)? Drag each card into the right box (or tap the card, then tap the box).
World Wide Web 🌐
Internet, but not the Web
Hyperlink treasure hunt
Open a browser and go to https://islandclass.org. Use the site’s links and search box (no typing other addresses!) to answer these. Write your answers in your book.
- Find the post called Ergonomics. Look at its URL: on what date was it published?
- Find the post called Computer Hazards. Name one hazard it describes.
- Point at any link on the page without clicking. What address appears at the bottom of the window?
- Use the Back button to return to the home page. How many clicks did it take?
- Bookmark the home page (Ctrl + D).
Self-check quiz
Click the best answer. You get feedback straight away; only your first click counts towards your score.
1. What is the difference between the Internet and the Web?
2. Who invented the World Wide Web?
3. In https://islandclass.org/2018/05/17/ergonomics/, what is islandclass.org?
4. What is a web browser?
5. What does the mouse pointer usually turn into over a link?
6. Which ending would you expect on a Trinidad and Tobago website?
Related posts on islandclass.org
- Introduction to the Internet, WWW and Hyperlinks – notes and a video
- Hyperlinks
- Instructions – The internet,WWW, Information Sources (Wed 27th Jan2021) – class instructions
For later, in Forms 4–5 (CSEC IT): these go deeper and are for when you reach CSEC Information Technology.
- How the Web Works: WWW, HTML, HTTP, URLs, Browsers, Servers and FTP
- Hyperlinks in Documents and Web Pages, and How to Evaluate a Website
Next: Searching Smart with Search Engines
Syllabus link: Forms 1–3 ICT curriculum, Module 4, Objective 4.1 – describe features of the World Wide Web.
Attributions to media used in this post:
- First Web Server.jpg – Coolcaesar (English Wikipedia) – CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Firefox web browser on wikipedia page.png – Mozilla Corporation – CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Video: What is the world wide web? – Twila Camp – TED-Ed (YouTube)
Updates
2026/10/21
– Fixed the activity code so its buttons keep working.
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.