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  • Data Science 360 CourseExplore

    • Web Development Prerequisites

    Last Updated : 21 Oct, 2026

    Before starting web development, beginners should understand basic computer operations and how websites work over the internet.

    1. Web Browsers

    A web browser is software used to access and display websites. Browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari interpret HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to render web pages and allow users to interact with them.

    2. Web Servers

    A web server is a system that stores, processes, and delivers web content to clients. When a user opens a website, the browser sends a request to the server, which returns the requested content or an appropriate response.

    3. URLs

    A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address used to access a resource on the web, such as a webpage, image, or file. 

    For example: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=laptop
    • Protocol: https specifies how the browser communicates with the server.
    • Domain Name: www.amazon.in identifies the website.
    • Path: /s specifies the resource or route being requested.
    • Query Parameters: k=laptop passes additional information to the server, indicating a search for laptops.

    4. Domain Name System (DNS)

    DNS translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses that help browsers locate the appropriate servers. This avoids the need for users to remember numerical IP addresses.

    For example, when a user visits www.google.com, DNS helps the browser find the server's IP address.

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    5. Web Communication Protocols

    Protocols define how data is exchanged between browsers and servers.

    HTTP/HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol / Secure)

    HTTP defines how browsers and web servers exchange requests and responses.

    • HTTP: Transfers data between browsers and servers without encrypting the connection by itself.
    • HTTPS: Uses TLS encryption to protect data exchanged between browsers and servers, helping ensure data privacy and integrity.
    HTTP

    TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

    TCP/IP is a suite of networking protocols that enables devices to communicate over the internet. TCP ensures reliable, ordered data delivery, while IP handles addressing and routing packets to their destinations. HTTP commonly uses TCP, while HTTP/3 uses QUIC over UDP.

    TCP


    IP Addressing Works

    TLS/SSL (Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer)

    When using HTTPS, SSL/TLS ensures that the data exchanged between the browser and server is encrypted, protecting you from hackers trying to intercept your data.

    SSL/TLS Handshake

    6. Database

    A database stores and organizes website data, such as user information, product details, orders, and customer reviews. When a user visits a website, the backend can retrieve the required information from a database and send it to the browser as part of the response.

    For example, when you open a pizza website's menu, the server may retrieve pizza names, prices, and descriptions from a database.

    • SQL (Relational Databases): Store data in tables with rows and columns. SQL is used to retrieve, insert, update, and delete data. Examples include MySQL and PostgreSQL.
    • NoSQL Databases: Use flexible data models, such as documents and key-value pairs, to store and manage data. Examples include MongoDB and Redis.

    7. Development Tools

    A few basic tools help developers write, run, test, and debug code while building websites.

    • Code Editor: Used to write and organize code. Popular options include Visual Studio Code and Sublime Text.
    • Web Browser: Browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari allow developers to view and test web pages.
    • Browser Developer Tools: Built-in tools help inspect HTML and CSS, debug JavaScript, monitor network requests, and identify errors.
    • Terminal or Command Line: Allows developers to run commands, install packages, and start development servers.
    • Version Control with Git: Tracks code changes and helps developers manage different versions of a project. Git is widely used for version control, while GitHub hosts repositories and supports collaboration.
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