Overview

This topic explores the technologies, protocols, and services that power the modern internet—from intranets and extranets to cloud storage and web development standards. You’ll learn how data moves across networks, how browsers interpret code, and best practices for building accessible, standards‑compliant websites.

Key Concepts and Terms

• Online Networks: Intranet (internal), extranet (partners), and the public internet; governance bodies like ICANN and W3C.
• Online Services: Search engines, SaaS platforms, cloud storage (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS), and content‑streaming networks (CDNs).
• Web Protocols: HTTP/HTTPS, TCP/IP, FTP, SMTP; push vs. pull communication, RESTful APIs, WebSockets.
• Web Browsers: URL anatomy, cookies, history/cache, rendering engines (Blink, WebKit), resource allocation.
• Web Technologies: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, XML/JSON, responsive design, client‑server & three‑tier architectures.
• Website Development Life Cycle: Analysis, design (wireframes), functionality, accessibility (WCAG), testing, maintenance.

Step-by-Step Example

Problem: A nonprofit wants to launch a donation page that works on mobile and ranks well on search engines. What steps and technologies should be used?

Step 1: Analysis – Identify user goals (quick, secure donations) and device mix (70% mobile).

Step 2: Design – Create a responsive layout grid with mobile‑first CSS and semantic HTML5 elements (<header>, <main>, <form>).

Step 3: Implementation – Use HTTPS with TLS certificates, embed a PCI‑compliant payment gateway API, and enable HTTP/2 for faster load times.

Step 4: Accessibility & SEO – Add alt text to images, use ARIA labels for form fields, and include meta tags plus structured data (JSON‑LD) for rich search results.

Final Answer: A mobile‑first, accessible HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript page delivered over HTTPS and optimized with structured data will meet the nonprofit’s goals and improve search ranking.

Quick Tip