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Definition Web Server
This article is part of our VPS, Dedicated Servers & Infrastructure resource section.
A web server or HTTP server is a piece of communications software that intermediates between the server on which the requested data is present and the client’s computer. It allows bidirectional or unidirectional, synchronous, or asynchronous connections, with any client application. , even with browsers that translate translatable (readable) code to a given web page. In other words, these are programs that mediate between the Internet user and the server where the information requested is.
A web server is one specialized type of server. Understanding what a server is and how it works provides useful background on how computing systems receive requests and supply files, applications, and other resources to connected clients.
Web servers are everyday programs on the Internet, which use various data protocols to communicate, the most common and in some way standard being HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol). However, you can make use the term to refer to the computer where the files that make up a website are stored, along with the software necessary to comply with the web data connection.
Web-server software can run on physical, dedicated, cloud, or virtual infrastructure. Smaller websites and applications can learn how to choose the right VPS server by comparing CPU resources, memory, storage, bandwidth, operating-system support, scalability, and server management.
Features of a Web Server
A web server operates on a computer waiting for requests from a customer’s web browser, providing the requested data to compose a web page or, failing that, an error message. Web servers can be of two kinds: static and dynamic. Web server security is about protecting your software from web server attacks.
The quality of the hosting environment affects the web server’s availability, response times, and security. Comparing the best VPS hosting providers can help website owners evaluate uptime guarantees, resource allocation, network performance, backups, security controls, and technical support.
Static servers
They consist of a computer where the information is stored and an HTTP server that responds to the request protocols. Its name comes from the fact that as it sends files precisely as they are stored.
Dynamic servers
Instead, they are static servers that contain additional software (usually applications and databases) that allow them to update the requested information before sending it to the client.
Uses of a Web Server
The function of web servers is to mediate between user requests and the files that contain the requested information on the computer where they are stored. To publish a website and to have access to the data that compose any web page. This process occurs as follows:
- The user enters a web address (URL) in their browser, and it sends a request to the webserver.
- The web server (software) searches for the relevant files either on the server itself (hardware) or on a hosting service where they are always available and online.
- The files are processed as requested and sent as per the transfer protocol.
- The browser receives the files and assembles the content of the web page that then displays to the user.
A properly configured web server also requires sufficient hosting resources to serve files and process requests without unnecessary delays. Reviewing the best VPS hosting options can help you find an environment suited to your website’s traffic, storage, bandwidth, and performance requirements.
Most used Web Servers
Some of the most used web servers are the following:
Nginx (2004)
A web server and proxy developed by the eponymous company.
Apache (1995)
It is an open-source HTTP web server, serving Unix, Windows, and Macintosh computers developed and maintained by a community of users that make up the Apache Software Foundation.
Internet Information Services or IIS (1993)
Web server and set of services designed for Microsoft Windows that was initially present in its NT version.
Cherokee (2001)
It is a multiplatform web server written in C language, available under GNU General Public License, free software.
Tomcat (1999)
An Apache distribution, also known as Jakarta Tomcat, operates on the principle of servlets (Java).
