You type them into your browser every day, but have you ever stopped to think about what all the parts of a web address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator), actually mean? Those colons, slashes, dots, and question marks all have a purpose! Tooly is here to dissect the anatomy of a URL for you.

Tooly
It looks like a secret code, but it's really just an address for finding things on the internet! Let's decode it.

Breaking Down a Typical URL:

Let's take an example URL, like one for my QR Code tool:

https://www.tooly.tools/qrcode/?size=200#generate

Here are the main parts:

  • https:// (Protocol or Scheme): This tells the browser how to connect to the website's server. Common ones are:
  • www.tooly.tools (Hostname or Domain Name): This is the human-readable name of the website or server you're connecting to. It breaks down further:
    • tooly (Second-Level Domain - SLD): This is the main name you register (like Google, Facebook, ToolyTools).
    • .tools (Top-Level Domain - TLD): This indicates the type or purpose of the domain (e.g., .com for commercial, .org for organization, .gov for government, .edu for education, plus country codes like .br, .uk).
    • www. (Subdomain): Often stands for 'World Wide Web', but it's technically a subdomain. Sites can exist without 'www' (like tooly.tools) or use other subdomains (like blog.example.com).
  • /qrcode/ (Path): This indicates the specific page or resource you're accessing on the website. It works like folders on your computer, separated by slashes (`/`). Here, it points to the QR code tool page within the site. The trailing slash often indicates a directory.
  • ?size=200 (Query String or Parameters): Everything after the question mark (`?`) is a query string. It sends extra information to the web page, often used for search results, filtering, or tracking. Parameters come in `key=value` pairs, separated by ampersands (`&`) if there are multiple (e.g., `?search=tooly&page=1`). In our example, it might be telling the page to default the size to 200px (though my tool uses JS for that!).
    • You can learn more about query strings and how to use them effectively.
  • #generate (Fragment or Anchor): The part after the hash (`#`) points to a specific section within the web page. It tells the browser to scroll down to the element with the ID `generate`. This happens entirely in the browser and isn't usually sent to the server.
Tooly
Pretty neat, huh? Each part plays a role in getting you exactly where you want to go online. Understanding URLs can also help you spot potentially suspicious links! Always check the main domain name.

So, the next time you copy or type a URL, take a second look! You now know the basic anatomy of how web addresses guide you through the vast world of the internet. Learning to read URLs can also protect you from phishing attacks and fake sites, so stay savvy out there!