Web Basics
Understanding how the web works is the foundation of modern software development. Before writing a single line of code, knowing what happens between typing a URL and seeing a page appear gives every engineering decision a clearer context.
This topic covers the core concepts that power the Internet and the Web — structured so that a complete beginner can work through them in order and arrive at a solid mental model.
What I Cover in This Topic
Section titled “What I Cover in This Topic”The six pillars that make the web possible, covered one page at a time:
- What Is the Internet? — IP addresses, packet switching, and TCP/IP basics
- How the Web Works — URLs, HTTP/HTTPS, and how a browser renders a page
- Servers and Clients — The request/response model and the split between frontend and backend
- Domains and DNS — How domain names are resolved to IP addresses
- Introduction to Databases — Relational databases vs NoSQL, and where databases fit in a web app
- Introduction to Cloud Computing — IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and major cloud services explained
Why Web Fundamentals Matter for Engineers
Section titled “Why Web Fundamentals Matter for Engineers”Even engineers who focus on backend services, data science, or AI systems encounter the web constantly: API endpoints, webhooks, authentication flows, deployment pipelines. A shared vocabulary around HTTP, DNS, and servers makes collaboration faster and debugging more effective.
The pages in this topic are intentionally short — one concept per page — so that each idea can be absorbed before moving on.
Bridge to the Engineering Section
Section titled “Bridge to the Engineering Section”After working through the web fundamentals, the Engineering section picks up with hands-on tools: the terminal, Git, development environments, and package managers. Theory and practice reinforce each other, and these two topics are designed to be read together or in sequence.
Link to this page (Japanese): ウェブの基礎