1. How the Web Works

A website is a set of files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and sometimes server-side code) stored on a computer called a server. When you type a URL, your browser sends a request over HTTP/HTTPS to that server, which sends back the files needed to render the page.

Web development is the process of building and maintaining websites and web applications — from simple static pages to complex dynamic systems. A full web application typically combines front-end technologies (what the user sees and touches) with back-end technologies (how the system works behind the scenes).

Static vs Dynamic: a static website's pages are fixed files — the content is identical for every visitor until a developer manually edits and re-uploads it. A dynamic website pulls content from a database at request time, so pages can change based on user input, time, or stored data. Static sites are simple and fast; dynamic (usually CMS-powered) sites let non-technical staff publish and update content without touching code.