Web servers are essential to be able to access the internet, without them you would not be able to enjoy browsing all the websites available on the internet. Since web servers are so important, in this post we will explain what a web server is, what it is for, how it works and the types that exist.
What is a web server and what is it for?
The first thing you should know before defining what a web server is ; is that when we speak of a web server we are not referring to a server (a computer destined to store a variety of programs, which are then used by other computers); there is a big difference between a web server and a server.
A web server or HTTP server is software that uses the HTTP (Hipertext Transfer Protocol) protocol, in charge of storing the information contained in websites, including videos, images, text, among others. In addition, it provides said information safely and constantly to internet users through the search browser in which I request the information.
A web server is basically in charge of searching the internet for the requested information through a browser; and then sends the results of that search directly to the browser that the user has used. That is, it generates the connection between users and websites , using the browser.
If it is still not clear to you, we recommend that you do a little more research on what the HTTP protocol is for and how it works . That will surely help you better understand what a web server is.
How does a web server work and what types are there?
- Each user enters the information to be searched in the browser of their choice (Opera, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari or other) .
- Your computer, tablet or smartphome consults with a DNS server to locate the server that contains the required information.
- When the location of the server is known, the HTTP protocol, which is different from the HTTPS protocol , begins to run ; which consists of the browser used requesting the desired information from the web server .
- The server immediately begins to process the requested information; To do this, it first determines the domain and then the type of information requested (static or dynamic).
- The web server sends the search result to the browser that the user is using.
If a user requests to search for a website, but is not authorized to access said website, the server will not allow him to enter that page.
This whole process may seem long and complicated, but it happens in just a few seconds; therefore, you can enjoy your search results in no time.
Types of web servers
There are a lot of web servers in the world, but for this article we have collected the most popular web servers.
- Apache
This is the most popular server and it is compatible with Windows, Linux, Unix and iOs operating systems. This server is free , secure, easy to configure, and very robust; It also stands out for being open source. Although it is sometimes necessary to restart Apache web servers , this is also a simple process.
- Niginx
It is a free open source server that has a light, simple and very secure design ; it is also fast and very solid. It adapts to any technology that is why it is compatible with platforms such as Windows, Unix, Linux, among others. Its great advantages have made it the number 1 competitor of Apache.
- Microsoft IIS
This server was created by Windows, therefore, it is compatible with the technology that the company has available. This server offers its users easy-to-use , safe and fast software ; but it is not free and it does not support many languages.
- Lighttpd
It is a very lightweight open source server and is available for operating systems like Mac Os / X, Windows, Linux. This server was designed to be fast and to consume little RAM and CPU.
Everyone who has a website must be part of a web server. Therefore, they should choose a server that adapts to their operating system, complies with security protocols, and offers good publishing and search tools. But if you can’t find the ideal one for you, you can create your own web page server .
Thanks to web servers we can access social networks, read news, play games, listen to music, watch movies and browse all the web pages we want quickly and safely; then thanks to web servers we have a virtual world open before us.
