A web server is a computer system that stores and delivers web content to end-users over the internet via a web browser. It consists of both hardware and software components. The hardware side connects to the internet to exchange data, while the software side includes an HTTP server that processes and responds to incoming requests. The main job of a web server is to store and deliver the content of a website to the requesting user.
On the hardware side, a web server is a computer that stores web server software and a websites component files, such as HTML documents, images, CSS stylesheets, and JavaScript files. It connects to the internet and supports physical data interchange with other devices connected to the web.
On the software side, a web server includes several parts that control how web users access hosted files. At a minimum, this is an HTTP server, which is software that understands URLs and HTTP. An HTTP server can be accessed through the domain names of the websites it stores, and it delivers the content of these hosted websites to the end-user.
Web servers can handle multiple tasks, such as sending and receiving emails, storing web applications, and processing FTP requests. However, the primary use of a web server is to host websites, making them functional and interactive for users worldwide.
