Websites
What is a website?
The simple definition
A website is a collection of web pages and related resources that people can access through a web browser. A page is usually identified by a URL, and pages on the same site are connected with links.
A website can be simple, such as a few pages describing a business, or complex, such as a service that lets people create accounts, search data, buy products, or manage work.
What a website contains
The visible experience is built from several layers. HTML provides the structure and content. CSS controls presentation and layout. JavaScript can add behavior and interactivity. Images, video, fonts, documents, and other assets support the page.
A website also depends on infrastructure outside the visible page: a domain name gives people a human-readable address, while hosting or another server environment makes the site's files and application available over the internet.
Website, web page, and web app
A web page is one document. A website is a connected collection of pages and resources. A web application is a website or web-based system whose main purpose is interactive work, such as managing records, submitting orders, or using an account.
The boundaries are not absolute. A business website can contain interactive tools, and a web application can have informational pages. The important distinction is the job the product needs to perform.
What to decide before building
Start with the visitor and the job. Decide what the site needs to help people understand, do, or buy. Then plan the pages, content, navigation, and technical approach around that job.
A smaller site with clear information is usually a better starting point than a large site filled with pages that have no distinct purpose.
- Who is the site for?
- What should a visitor understand or do?
- Which pages are actually necessary?
- Who will maintain the content after launch?
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
What is a website?
A website is a set of pages and files people open in a browser at an address. A page is one document. The site is the collection.
Is a social profile a website?
No. A profile lives on someone else's site. You can use it, but you do not control the address or the rules.
What is a web page?
One document with its own URL. A site is many of those pages, linked together.
Do websites only show information?
No. Some let people search, buy, log in, or submit a form. Those are still websites. The more interactive ones are often called web apps.
What do I need to open a website?
A browser and the address. Building one also needs the pages, a place to host them, and usually a domain name.
Can a website work in every country?
A public site can be opened worldwide if it is not blocked. Language, payments, and local law still depend on the audience.
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