Veebiserverit

Veebiserverit, often referred to as a web server, is a software program or hardware device that processes requests from clients, typically web browsers, and delivers web pages and other content over the internet. When a user types a URL into their browser, the browser sends a request to the web server identified by that URL. The web server then locates the requested file, such as an HTML document, image, or script, and sends it back to the browser. This communication is usually done using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or its secure version, HTTPS.

Hardware web servers are physical computers dedicated to running web server software. These machines are connected to the internet and are always on to ensure that websites are accessible at all times. Software web servers are the programs that run on these hardware servers. Popular examples of web server software include Apache HTTP Server, Nginx, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), and LiteSpeed. These software solutions manage the incoming requests, handle the processing of dynamic content through scripting languages like PHP or Python, and serve the static content.

The primary function of a web server is to store, process, and deliver web pages to end-users. This involves listening for incoming network connections, parsing the HTTP requests, retrieving the appropriate files or executing server-side scripts, and then sending the HTTP responses back to the client. Web servers are fundamental components of the World Wide Web, enabling the vast majority of online content delivery. Their efficiency and reliability are crucial for the performance and accessibility of websites and web applications.