What Happens When You Type https://www.google.com in Your Browser and Press Enter?
NJERI KIARIE
East Africa Zone Coordinator AWIGIS || GIS Data Specialist || Environmental Planning & Management || ACS 2023 Delegate || Climate Change Adaptation Advocate || Loss & Damage
In today's digital age, browsing the web has become an integral part of our daily lives. We often take for granted the complex processes that occur behind the scenes when we type a URL into our browser and hit the Enter key. In this article, we will take a closer look at what happens when you type "https://www.google.com" in your browser and press Enter. We will explore the journey of your request through various stages, including DNS request, TCP/IP, firewall, HTTPS/SSL, load-balancer, web server, application server, and database.
DNS Request
The process begins with a DNS (Domain Name System) request. When you type https://www.google.com in your browser, it needs to convert the human-readable domain name into an IP address that the computer can understand. The browser sends a DNS request to a DNS server, which looks up the IP address associated with the domain name.
TCP/IP
Once the IP address is obtained, the browser establishes a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connection with the Google servers. TCP ensures reliable and ordered transmission of data between the browser and the servers. It breaks the data into packets and reassembles them at the destination.
Firewall
To protect the network from unauthorized access, a firewall acts as a barrier between the browser and the Google servers. It examines the incoming and outgoing network traffic and applies predefined security rules to allow or block certain connections. The firewall ensures that only legitimate and safe requests are allowed to reach the servers.
HTTPS/SSL
Security is a crucial aspect of online communication. When the browser connects to the Google servers, it initiates an HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) connection using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or its successor TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols. This encryption ensures that the data transmitted between your browser and the servers remains private and cannot be intercepted by malicious actors.
Load-balancer
Google receives millions of requests every second, and to handle such a massive load, they employ load-balancers. Load-balancers distribute incoming requests across multiple servers, ensuring that no single server is overwhelmed. They help optimize the performance and scalability of the infrastructure, allowing users to access the website quickly and efficiently.
Web Server
Once the request reaches the appropriate server, the web server processes it. The web server is responsible for handling HTTP requests, generating dynamic web pages, and serving static content like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. In the case of Google, their web server software efficiently handles the incoming requests and delivers the requested web pages.
Application Server
Some websites, including Google, require additional processing beyond what the web server can handle. In such cases, an application server comes into play. The application server executes the server-side code, interacts with databases, and generates dynamic content on the fly. It acts as a bridge between the web server and other backend systems.
Database
Behind every data-driven website like Google, there is a database that stores and retrieves information. Databases organize and store vast amounts of data, allowing efficient retrieval based on user queries. Google employs robust and scalable database systems to handle the enormous amount of data generated by user interactions and deliver search results in milliseconds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when you type https://www.google.com in your browser and press Enter, a fascinating journey begins. The DNS request resolves the domain name, TCP/IP ensures reliable transmission, firewalls protect against unauthorized access, HTTPS/SSL encrypts the communication, load-balancers distribute the traffic, web servers handle HTTP requests, application servers process dynamic content, and databases store and retrieve information. All these components work together seamlessly to provide you with a secure and efficient browsing experience.
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