URL- Universal Resource Locator

The location/address of things on the Internet

URLs are used to describe resources on the Internet. The formula for a generic URL is as follows:

scheme://<login>|<password>@host/dir
OR
scheme://host/dir (when no login/password required)
 
scheme
What protocol the resource uses
    Examples
  • ftp=file transfer protocol
  • http=hypertext transfer protocol (Web page)
  • telnet=remotely login to another computer more
login
Userid required to access resource If a public or anonymous account will use the word anonymous or guest

 
password
Password required to access resource If a public or anonymous account will use nothing or your email address as a courtesy

 
dir
This indicates the path including possibly a filename of the resource. path=/dir

 

Examples of URLs

  1. http://www.monterey.edu (CSUMB homepage)
    • scheme=http use your web browser.
    • login= none.
    • password= none.
    • host=www.monterey.edu
    • dir= none.
  2. ftp://<fun>:<p1>@ftp.host.com/funstuff/fun.doc
    • scheme=ftp use your ftp software.
    • login= fun
    • password= p1
    • host= ftp.host.com
    • dir= /funstuff/fun.doc
  3. ftp://ftp.apple.com/appleinfo
    • scheme ftp use your ftp software.
    • login= anonymous
    • password= none or use your email address as courtesy
    • host= ftp.apple.com
    • dir= /appleinfo
© Lynne Grewe