Uniform Resource Locator is the unique code used to locate a specific resource on the world wide web. Appropriately, it is also known as a web address. Whenever you need to access a website on your browser, a validation API can be used to any browser to retrieve the information.
URL can be used by manually typing them into the address bar of a browser or by clicking a hyperlink found on any webpage or even an offline source such as a text application. Some of these parts are mandatory for any working URL, and some are extras that can be added on.
To help you decide, we’ll also be diving deeper into the pros and cons of using validation API and it compares to using the normal web API!
Table of Contents
Scheme or Protocol
The very beginning of every URL is the scheme of the protocol. A method used by a network of computers to exchange and transfer data that allows the browser to request the resource.
Most websites use the protocol HTTPS or HTTP, which is the unsecured version of the former. These two are most commonly used to get to web pages, but internet browsers can handle other schemes, such as mailto: which is used for opening mail clients.
Authority
After the scheme, the next part in the URL is the authority. The authority is separated from the scheme using the “: / /” characters. Authority usually contains the “domain,” which indicates the URLs requested by the webserver. For example, www.mailboxlayer.com.
Sometimes an IP address can be used in authority, but it is rare because of its inconvenience. An IP address is allocated to all devices linked to networks that use the Internet protocol.
Port
After the domain, a Port can be added to the URL. A port describes the technical gate used to access the resource on the webserver. A port isn’t necessarily added to the URL if the server uses HTTP or HTTPS protocols with standard ports 80 and 443, respectively. However, if another protocol is used, mentioning the port becomes mandatory.
Path to Resource
Path to Resource is part of the URL that describes the path to the required resource on the Web server. During the earlier times of the Web, this path would represent an actual physical location of the file on the webserver. However, it is usually an abstraction handled by Web servers without physical placement.
Parameters
These are extra parameters provided to the Web server and usually for dynamic websites. These are a list of key or value pairs separated by the “&” symbol. The Web server can use these parameters to carry out extra commands before returning the resource. All web servers have different parameter rules, and these can only be observed by enquiring the server owners.
Anchor
This URL part can be used as an anchor to another part of the resource itself. This represents a kind of bookmark inside the original resource, letting the browser access the specific information within a broader resource. For example, if the original resource is an HTML file, the anchor can define where the browser needs to scroll down to or where the video needs to start in the case of a media player. Also known as Fragment, this part of a URL appears after a # sign.
Why Do We Need Validation API?
URLs make it easier for us to access a web server without knowing the server’s actual IP addresses, which can be complicated. We can think of URLs as easier nicknames to our favorite web pages. URLs are also easier to remember than IP addresses.
Well-structured validation API can even be used for branding and marketing. This helps generate more traffic towards the site address and provides simplicity of marketing where consumers know exactly where to go to access the required information, product, or service.
How to Use the URL?
Popular social networking websites give consumers options to create their web pages; however, these are not independent URLs but just a specific section within the broader resource.
To create your URL, you need to get a custom domain. There are domain name registrars that sell domain names. Popular domain name registrars include Google Domains and GoDaddy, for example. You don’t have to create a website with a domain name. These can just be used to redirect to existing web pages and build your brand around the internet. The domain you want can vary in price, and the domain suffix; .com, .net, etc., also impacts the price of a domain.
What about enterprise usage of URLs?
A well-crafted URL is important for impactful Search Engine Optimization for any enterprise. Search engines focus on the website’s structure to provide end-users with relevant results and a smooth search experience.
A URL plays an important role in accessing the site and its inclusion in searches. Therefore, the use of concise and relevant keywords within the URL can impact SEO practices that are beneficial for your brand.
In our next post, we’ll also dive into other APIs available at the API Marketplace, examining which use cases are appropriate for each.
