URL and URI, both crucial concepts of the web, are terms that are often interchanged and used. However, they are not the same. The URI can represent both the URL and the URN of a resource, simultaneously, while URL can only specify the address of the resource on the internet. In this article, we also discuss the comparison and difference between URL and URI.
Two concepts of web discussed in this article are:
- URI
- URL
What is a URL?
URL is a Uniform Resource Locator that denotes the specific location on the computer network and also the technique for retrieving it. A URL is the unique resource, which can be a CSS document or an HTML webpage. HTTP, HTTPS, FTP are the protocols used with the URLs to access the resources. It also indicates the address of a webpage that we type into the space bar.
What is a URI?
A Uniform Source Identifier referring to the resources on the internet is a string identifier, following the syntax rule, thus confirming uniformity. It consists of a string of characters used to identify the resource on the internet with the help of name and / or location (place). An internet resource specifying the URN scheme, this enables a uniform identification of the resources. URI can describe both the URL and the URN. It contains the scheme, authority, path, query, and a fragment. HTTP, HTTPs, ftp, Idap, telnet are all URI Schemes.
What is the Difference between URL and URI?
When aURI aims to find out a resource and differentiate it from other resources by using the name or location of the resource,the URL aims to find the location or address of a resource on the web. Candidates can know more about what is the difference between URL and URI from the table below.
Difference between URL and URI
| URL | URI |
| Describe the identity of a device | Technique to identify the item |
| Protocols used to access links to a webpage, a component or a program on a webpage | Regardless of the method utilised, helps to identify one resource from the other |
| About the type of protocols to be used | No protocol is specified |
| Is a type of URI | URI is the superset of URL |
| Access the location or address of the resource | Find the resource |
| Its components are protocol, domain, path, hash, query string and so on | Components included are scheme, authority, path, query and more |
| Example- https://google.in | Example-:urn:isbn:0-284-56889-3 |
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