What is the Difference between Internet and WWW?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 25th, 2023
The Difference Between Internet and WWW is that the pages you see when you’re online on a device are known as the World Wide Web, or web for short. On the other hand, the internet is the network of connected computers that the web runs on, as well as the conduit through which emails and data move. The World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet are those two significant inventions of the technological world and the whole world revolves around them. But these two terms are not similar and are not supposed to be used interchangeably. Although most people associate the terms web and internet, they are actually quite different.
The internet has made things possible for humans in various ways since it provides services such as online gaming, internet telephony, chatting, file sharing, electronic mail, and so on. In addition to these, www is one of the critical services provided by the internet. Further, we have provided important information and the difference between the internet and www in the upcoming sections.
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What is the Difference Between Internet and WWW?
It is evident that www and the internet are completely different from each other. They have their own protocols and usage. The only thing that is common between them is the point of communication. Both are used for some form of communication whether it is the communication of text messages or the information being searched by an individual on the web. Before going through the brief introduction about the internet and www, let us check the difference between the internet and www listed in the table below.
Key Differences Between Internet and WWW
| Internet | WWW |
| The Internet allows you to link your computer to any other computer on the planet. | The World Wide Web is a collection of information accessible through the Internet. |
| The Internet is a worldwide network of interconnected computer networks that connect devices using the TCP/IP protocol. | The World Wide Web refers to HTML-formatted online material that may be accessed using the HTTP protocol. |
| The Internet can be compared to a large bookstore. | The web can be considered as a store with a collection of books. |
|
Internet is superset of WWW. |
The World Wide Web is a subset of the Internet. |
|
It first appeared in the late 1960s. |
Tim Berners-Lee, an English scientist, created the World Wide Web in 1989. |
| The Internet is mostly based on hardware. | In comparison to the Internet, the WWW is more software-oriented. |
Internet and WWW
People can send text messages and chat with their families and friends by sitting in any corner of the world because of the internet. But to collect any data about a particular topic, for any purpose, on Google is the expertise of WWW. The Internet, commonly known as the net is a complex network of interconnected networks that links devices across the world. And World Wide Web, commonly known as the web, is a collection of web pages or websites by which information is shared and received over the internet.
Internet is a physical network containing wired (fiber optical or copper wired) and wireless connections. Internet connects global users through various devices, namely TV, desktops, computers, routers, switches, etc. In simple terms, when you search for specific information on Google, it shows different web pages or websites. The combination of those websites forms a web that can be accessed globally by anyone and is known as the World Wide Web. And it can not be possible without the internet. So it is proved that www is a subsection of the internet.
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What is the Internet?
The Internet is a global network that connects computer networks all over the globe. Copper lines, wireless networks, and fiber optic cables are used to connect the devices. For data communication, it employs the TCP/IP protocol. Computers, routers, hubs, switches, repeaters, and other devices are all part of this network. To identify a device on the internet, it has a unique IP address.
It facilitates the process of global communication. A computer with an internet connection is sufficient to connect you with the person sitting miles away from your location. A plethora of information is disseminated on the web through the internet.
Think of a games store, where the store is your internet, and the games available in the store are the websites from which you will get your information
Services offered by the internet –
- File transfer
- Mobile apps
- Social media apps
- World wide web (www)
The Internet allows individuals to instantaneously share information and resources. Because the internet is a public network, anyone can use it. It connects business, academic, government, and non-government networks in general.
What is WWW?
The World Wide Web (WWW) is an internet-based application. It refers to the enormous number of online sites that are linked together. Hyperlinks are used to connect these sites. As a result, the user may effortlessly navigate from one page to the next to find the information they need. A website is a collection of related web pages. It is a medium of communication through which activities like retrieval and exchange of information take place with the help of the internet. It is a medium of communication through which activities like retrieval and exchange of information take place with the help of the internet.
The method or the language www uses is called hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). The links which connect various web pages on browsers are called hyperlinks. With hyperlinks, users can explore different web pages just by clicking the links and exploring the pieces of information quickly.
A separate address is assigned to these web pages to be identified on the web which is called Uniform Resource Locator (URL). It facilitates the process of searching and finding information. The data is retrieved through software like google chrome, internet explorer, UC browser, etc.
The HTTP protocol and a web browser are used to access web pages or websites on the World Wide Web. The HTTP protocol is a collection of rules for moving data across the internet, including text, pictures, audio, video, and other multimedia assets. On the World Wide Web, there are many different types of web pages and websites. Academic, e-commerce and social networking are some of the most common categories.
Key Differences between www and Internet
Let’s look at the difference between www and the internet in points:
|
Basis |
WWW |
Internet |
|
Definition |
It Is a collection of web pages that consists of pieces of information |
It is a global network of networks that facilitates the working of www. |
|
Commonly known as |
It is commonly known as web |
It is commonly known as net |
|
Protocol |
www uses HTTP as its protocol |
The Internet has an internet protocol (IP) for its functioning |
|
Nature |
It is considered as software oriented |
It is considered as hardware with a physical infrastructure |
|
Originated |
It was invented in 1989 by Tim Berners Lee. It was built by research physicists to share their research findings among their colleagues |
It was invented in 1960 during an experiment by the U.S. military to stay in touch in case of nuclear strikes. |
|
Connection |
It connects people around the globe |
It connects computers and other devices |
|
Dependency |
It is dependent on the internet in order to perform its functions |
It is independent of WWW and has its own functioning |
|
First Version |
The first version was NSFNET |
The first version was formed was Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) |
|
Users/Websites |
There are over 1.8 billion websites on the internet. These numbers change regularly |
There are around 4.66 billion internet users. These numbers are subject to change as users numbers increase or decrease on a daily basis |
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