What is a Web Server?
Server is a term that one frequently comes across in the web world, and there are many different connotations. The term Server comes from the fact that the web pages are actually “served” to the browser. If you want your website online then you need a “place” to store it, which of course is connected to the internet. This “place” is called a server and all websites use some kind of Server.
- Server may refer to a hardware system or a software system such as a mail server, file server, database server or print server.
- Server may also refer to a physical computer that is solely dedicated to the purpose of running one or many services in order to serve the needs of the programs that are running on the same system network as well as other systems.
- Server may be referred to as a computer program which runs in order to serve the needs as well as requests of different client. And these programs may not necessarily run on a single computer.
The word ‘Server’ is used as a general word to refer to a host which is deployed to execute many programs. Most often, a server can be either a series of computers or a single computer that can then link with other devices or computers. A server is essential in providing all the services that are needed across a network, be it for large organizations or for private users on the internet.
Servers have a fantastic ability to store all the files centrally and for different users of the same network to use the files whenever they need. Usually, behind every domain, there is a web server which is called the host. When you type a specific URL in the browser, you gain access to the web server of that host. There is a connection between the two servers that facilitates the loading of the files and individual content of the particular page you wish to visit. These individual files are created in the browser and you get a readable page on your screen.