As part of your Digital Marketing Level 3 Apprenticeship, you will be required to complete a workshop revolving around a range of different coding languages. This includes a wide variety of other information including web protocols and technologies. If your new to coding there is a chance you may be learning from scratch; however in the workshops you will work alongside your fellow apprentices to complete different tasks. One of the most confusing elements of the workshop can be learning the different web protocols and technologies. That’s why today we are going to learn, what is web technology?
Before we start, let’s explore some possible career opportunities for coders:
- Computer Programmer
- Website Developer
- Stack Developer
- Computer Systems Analysist
- Network Administrator
- Database Administrator
What is Web Technology
Web technology refers to the way in which computers and devices communicate with each other using something called mark-up languages. Computers, unlike humans, communicate in code. These binary codes and commands are used allowing computers to process unimaginable amounts of information. Different protocols are used for different types of transfers, for example, watching or streaming movies will use a different protocol to email.
- TCP / IP – Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
This is a suite of protocols which allows two computers to establish a connection. IP sets the rules for communication over the internet.
- HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol
This is the protocol we use when surfing the internet. We can see ‘HTTP’ in the URL bar within our browser when typing an address. A TCP connection is opened between the browser on your computer and the web server which hosts the site. From here, requests and responses go between the two using HTTP. A HTTP 404 error is where the requested page does no longer exist on the web server. This could be as It has been deleted or the URL may have changed.
- HTTPS – Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
Much like HTTP however now traffic is encrypted using SSL encryption of Secured Sockets Layer for long. This allows for your sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, addresses and other financial information to be sent over a secure connection. The encryption takes place in plaintext, ran through cipher to create ciphertext. This ciphertext only makes sense to those who know the encryption type used.
- FTP – File Transfer Protocol
This is a protocol used for the transfer of files over a network; this is how saving in remote locations work, such as the cloud.
- SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
This is the protocol used to send email. When your email is sent, the simple mail transfer protocol allows the email to be sent to the server in the appropriate location. However, you do not receive mail this way.
- POP3 – Post Office Protocol v3
As SMTP is not used to receive emails, the Post Office Protocol v3 delivers the email to the device used to access the email on.
- IMAP4 – Internet Message Access Protocol v4
This protocol is used to allow a device to access and view the email they want to look at. The email stays on the mail server.
Domain and Web Hosting Services
A website host is an organisation which makes their own website available to the entire internet. Pages can be uploaded to the host, the host in turn ensures the website and content is always available. Cloud-based hosting is becoming more and more popular with websites being hosted within data centres across the world. Companies such as Wix.com, Squarespace, Shopify and Cloudflare all host websites.
A domain name can be purchased more times than not from one of these sites, this will allow customers to find your website with your unique URL. This can later be linked to email services offering personalised business email addresses to employees.
- IP Addresses – Internet Protocol Address
An IP address is required by all devices to connect to any network. This allows resources on the network such as the internet to be located. An IP address is a series of numbers that help identify a device on the network, this allows for information to be sent between devices.
- DNS – Domain Name System
The purpose of the DNS is to translate website addresses into IP addresses. This allows us to work with networks and the internet in the manor we do searching for the domain rather than a long series of letters and numbers.
Conclusion
Today, you have learned some basics on what web technology is read to prepare you for your workshop. However, there are a range of other areas covered within the Principles of Coding such as coding languages, hardware and the software development Lifecyle. In the meantime, be sure to check out W3 Schools to jump ahead with HTML, in their tutorial.
Alternatively check out our blog, to find the latest posts on apprenticeships.