What is a website?

A website is like a book that lives on the internet. Instead of pages made of paper, it has pages made of code that your browser turns into words, pictures, and videos you can see on your screen. You can visit a website from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection.

Every website has its own address called a URL (you say each letter: U-R-L). URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator — but you can just think of it as the website’s home address. Just like your house has a street address, every website has a URL so your browser knows exactly where to find it.

Example: The URL
https://Tech Camp for Kids.com
tells your browser to go to the Tech Camp for Kids website. The
https://
part at the beginning is very important — it means the connection is secure!

Reading a URL — what each part means

A URL has several parts, and each part tells your browser something different. Let’s look at https://www.Tech Camp for Kids.com/learninghub:

  • https://
  • Secure connection — your data is protected

www.

  • World Wide Web — shows it’s a website
  • Tech Camp for Kids.com
  • The domain name — the website’s unique name
  • /learninghub
  • The path — which page on the website to visit

HTTPS — the padlock that keeps you safe

Have you ever noticed a little padlock icon next to a website address in your browser? That padlock means the website uses HTTPS — a secure way of sending information. The "S" stands for "Secure."

When a website uses HTTPS, all the information travelling between your computer and the website is scrambled so nobody else can read it. This is very important when you are logging in or entering any personal information.

If a website does NOT have HTTPS (it just says "http://"), be extra careful. Never enter passwords or personal information on a website without the padlock.

Quick check: Before you type anything on a website, look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar. No padlock? Don’t type anything personal!

Browsers — your window to the web

A browser is the app you use to visit websites. Popular browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge. The browser reads the code that makes up a website and turns it into the colourful pages you see.

When you type a URL into your browser and press Enter, the browser sends a request to the server that stores that website. The server sends the website’s code back, and your browser turns it into the page you see — usually in less than a second!

Key words to remember

  • Website
  • URL
  • HTTPS
  • Browser
  • Domain name

Match each term to its meaning

What is a website — quiz

What is a URL?

  • A type of password
  • The address of a website
  • A kind of browser
  • A computer virus

Answer: The address of a website
URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator — it is the address of a website, like https://Tech Camp for Kids.com.

What does the "S" in HTTPS stand for?

  • Speed
  • Secure
  • Server
  • Search

Answer: Secure
HTTPS stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure. The S means the connection is protected.

Which of these is a browser?

  • Google Search
  • Microsoft Word
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • YouTube

Answer: Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a browser — an app used to visit websites. Chrome, Safari, and Edge are also browsers.

A website with "http://" (no S) is just as safe as one with "https://".

  • True
  • False

Answer: False
HTTPS is secure — your data is scrambled so nobody can read it. HTTP has no security. Always look for the padlock!

What does the padlock icon in your browser mean?

  • The website is locked and you cannot visit it
  • The website uses a secure HTTPS connection
  • The website is owned by the government
  • The website requires a password

Answer: The website uses a secure HTTPS connection
The padlock means the website uses HTTPS — your information is protected as it travels between your computer and the website.

In the URL "https://Tech Camp for Kids.com/learninghub", what is the domain name?

  • https://
  • /learninghub
  • Tech Camp for Kids.com
  • www

Answer: Tech Camp for Kids.com
The domain name is the main part of the address — "Tech Camp for Kids.com". It is the website’s unique name.

What does a browser do?

  • It stores websites on your computer
  • It reads website code and turns it into pages you can see
  • It creates websites
  • It blocks unsafe websites automatically

Answer: It reads website code and turns it into pages you can see
A browser reads the code that makes up a website and displays it as the colourful pages you see on screen.

Every website in the world has a unique URL.

  • True
  • False

Answer: True
True! Just like every house has a unique address, every website has a unique URL so browsers can find it.

You want to enter your home address on a website. What should you check first?

  • That the website has lots of pictures
  • That the website has HTTPS and a padlock icon
  • That the website loads quickly
  • That the website has a search bar

Answer: That the website has HTTPS and a padlock icon
Before entering any personal information, always check for HTTPS and the padlock icon to make sure the connection is secure.

What is the "/learninghub" part of a URL called?

  • The domain name
  • The browser
  • The path — it shows which page on the website to visit
  • The HTTPS

Answer: The path — it shows which page on the website to visit
The path comes after the domain name and tells the browser which specific page on the website to open.

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