Title: URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
Author: Kriko
Published: Apr 21, 2021
Last modified: Jul 11, 2026

---

 1.  [Home](https://kriko.io/) /
 2.  [Glossary](https://kriko.io/glossary) /
 3.  U Letter

# URL **(Uniform Resource Locator)**

**URL** stands for Uniform Resource Locator and refers to the address of a resource
on the internet. It can be understood as a standard way of locating digital resources.
A URL does not only point to the homepage of a website; it can also identify specific
pages, images, files, videos or other online resources. When users click a link 
or type an address into the browser bar, they are accessing the URL of that resource.

A URL usually consists of a protocol, domain name and page path. The protocol defines
the rules used for data transfer between the browser and the server. The most common
protocols used in web addresses are `http://` and `https://`. Unlike HTTP, HTTPS
uses encryption through TLS/SSL during data transfer, which makes it especially 
important for e-commerce, membership and payment-related websites.

The domain name comes after the protocol. A domain name is a readable address structure
that allows users to access websites without memorising IP addresses. For example,
in `https://kriko.io/glossary`, `[kriko.io](https://kriko.io)` is the domain name.
This domain is matched with the relevant server address within the internet infrastructure
and helps direct the user to the correct resource.

The `www` part often seen in URLs is not mandatory. It stands for World Wide Web
and can technically be used as a subdomain. A website may operate through `www.example.
com`, but it may also work through `example.com`. For this reason, `www` does not
have to appear in every URL and depends on how the website is configured.

The ending of a domain name is related to the top-level domain, or TLD. Extensions
such as `.com`, `.org`, `.net` and `.blog` are examples of TLDs. `.tr` is the country-
code top-level domain for Türkiye. Structures such as `com.tr`, `edu.tr`, `gov.tr`
and `org.tr` can be considered domain categories used under the `.tr` extension.

The part that comes after the domain name is called the page path. In `https://kriko.
io/glossary`, the `/glossary` section is the page path and directs the user to a
specific page on the website. Some URLs may also include query parameters and fragments
in addition to the page path. These may be used for filters, search results, tracking
parameters or links to specific sections of a page.

In summary, a **URL** is an address structure that shows where a resource is located
on the internet and how it can be accessed. The protocol defines how data is transferred,
the domain name identifies which server should be reached and the page path specifies
which resource should be opened on that server. Clear, readable and secure URL structures
are important for both user experience and search engines. For this reason, websites
should use short, descriptive, consistent and HTTPS-based URLs whenever possible.

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