URL: You are here

Every page you see on the internet has its own unique address, known as a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

The URL begins with the domain name of the website, which will end in .com, .net, .edu, .gov, .org, etc. If you look at the top center of this page, you will find its URL address, starting with http://, in a box (also known as a field).

You can type (or paste) any domain name in the box and go to that site. The URL must be spelled exactly right and include the prefix (http://www.domain_name.com, for example). Some browsers automatically put in the http etc. part.

When a URL has a domain name followed by a slash (/) and other information it points to other pages on the website other than the home page. It can also include other information, and it could be quite long.

A URL could also point to a sub-domain, a major content division on a website. A sub-domain starts with another word and a period before the domain name (no www). http://bugs.clemson.edu is one example.

When a URL starts with https instead of http, you know it is supposed to be a secure site.

Tip: If you find a page you particularly like you can 'bookmark' it with your browser, or put it in your 'favorites' folder (different browsers use different terminology). This saves the URL in a list and you can click on it in the bookmark/favorites menu to go back to the page.

Tip: If you want to share a webpage with a friend, you can copy and paste the URL into an email. When they get it they will be able to click on it and their browser will open and go right to the page.

To copy and paste a URL into an email:

1. click your mouse in the box containing the URL
2. go to Edit > Select All to select/highlight the whole URL
3. go to Edit > Copy to copy the URL
4. click in the body of your email
5. go to Edit > Paste