Web Server Definition A Web server is a computer system that hosts websites. It runs Web server software, such as Apache or Microsoft IIS, which provides access to hosted webpages over the Internet. Most Web servers are connected to the Internet via a high-speed connection, offering OC-3 or faster data transmission rates. A fast Internet connection allows Web servers to support multiple connections at one time without slowing down. Any computer can be used as a Web server, as long as it is conn...

Web Page Definition Web pages are what make up the World Wide Web. These documents are written in HTML (hypertext markup language) and are translated by your Web browser. Web pages can either be static or dynamic. Static pages show the same content each time they are viewed. Dynamic pages have content that can change each time they are accessed. These pages are typically written in scripting languages such as PHP, Perl, ASP, or JSP. The scripts in the pages run functions on the server that retur...

Link Definition A link (short for hyperlink) is an HTML object that allows you to jump to a new location when you click or tap it. Links are found on almost every webpage and provide a simple means of navigating between pages on the web. Links can be attached to text, images, or other HTML elements. Most text links are blue, since that is standard color web browsers use to display links. However, links can be any color since the style of the link text may be customized using HTML or CSS styles....

Bookmark Definition A bookmark is a saved shortcut that directs your browser to a specific webpage. It stores the title, URL, and favicon of the corresponding page. Saving bookmarks allows you to easily access your favorite locations on the Web. All major web browsers allow you to create bookmarks, though each browser provides a slightly different way of managing them. For example, Chrome and Firefox display your bookmarks in an open window, while Safari displays them in a list in the sidebar o...

Web Development Definition Web development refers to building, creating, and an maintaining websites. It includes aspects such as web design, web publishing, web programming, and database management. While the terms "web developer" and "web designer" are often used synonymously, they do not mean the same thing. Technically, a web designer only designs website interfaces using HTML and CSS. A web developer may be involved in designing a website, but may also write web scripts in languages such a...

Servlet Definition A servlet is a Java program that runs on a Web server. It is similar to an applet, but is processed on the server rather than a client's machine. Servlets are often run when the user clicks a link, submits a form, or performs another type of action on a website. Both servlets and JSP pages contain Java code that is processed by a Web server. However, servlets are primarily Java programs, while JSP pages are primarily HTML files. In other words, a servlet is a Java program tha...

jQuery Definition jQuery is a JavaScript library that allows web developers to add extra functionality to their websites. It is open source and provided for free under the MIT license. In recent years, jQuery has become the most popular JavaScript library used in web development. To implement jQuery, a web developer simply needs to reference the jQuery JavaScript file within the HTML of a webpage. Some websites host their own local copy of jQuery, while others simply reference the library host...

Static Website Definition A static website contains Web pages with fixed content. Each page is coded in HTML and displays the same information to every visitor. Static sites are the most basic type of website and are the easiest to create. Unlike dynamic websites, they do not require any Web programming or database design. A static site can be built by simply creating a few HTML pages and publishing them to a Web server. Since static Web pages contain fixed code, the content of each page does n...

E-commerce Definition E-commerce (electronic-commerce) refers to business over the Internet. Web sites such as Amazon.com, Buy.com, and eBay are all e-commerce sites. The two major forms of e-commerce are Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). While companies like Amazon.com cater mostly to consumers, other companies provide goods and services exclusively to other businesses. The terms "e-business" and "e-tailing" are often used synonymously with e-commerce. They refer to the...

JSP Definition Stands for "Java Server Page." This standard was developed by Sun Microsystems as an alternative to Microsoft's active server page (ASP) technology. JSP pages are similar to ASP pages in that they are compiled on the server, rather than in a user's Web browser. After all, they don't call them "server pages" for nothing. However, JSP is Java-based, whereas ASP is Visual Basic-based. JSP pages are useful for building dynamic Web sites and accessing database information on a Web serv...