The internet has connected even rural areas. From the globalisation of the world to the Linking of every person with others throughout the world, we have engulfed a long way indeed. Well, the address must connect the websites and IP address with the machines. However, they are different from each other.
URL vs IP Address
The main difference between uniform resource locator and internet protocol address is that URL is an address that represents a website or a webserver while the internet protocol address is the numerical combination that’s unique and represent a specific network to access the computer or other connected device.
A URL or uniform resources locator simply Is a combination of letters or numbers that represents the existence of a website or the webserver on the world wide web. It’s like an address of a place where you want to commute. It’s created by four elements: location, protocol, hostname, and path.
An IP address or internet protocol address is a set of numbers that represents an address of a machine. Well, it’s widely used to connect with other devices with encryption and transfer data pieces through that particular IP you have. Every system has a unique IP address like your house number, which is unique and special.
Comparison Table Between URL and IP Address
| Parameters of Comparison | URL | IP Address |
| Definition | A URL is a uniform resource locator that represents a web server or a website. | An IP address is representative of a unique system. |
| Functionality | With the help of a URL, you can easily have a walk through the website and can see its front end. | With the IP, you can make a connection with other devices to transmit data. |
| Combination | A URL can consist of alphabets, numbers, or a combination of both. | Well, an IP is made of numbers with dots after some particular number set. |
| Breaking down address | A URL has a locator, a path, a protocol, and a hostname | Since it doesn’t any interface thing because it connects two or more system and with that, it looks AAA.BBB.CCC.DDD where sequence lies between 001 to 255. |
| Examples | Some URL examples are https:// www.google.com, https://www.abcded.com. | Some examples of IP address are 192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.2. |
What is URL?
Suppose you want to go to a particular place. Well, it’s only possible if you know the address. If it exists, you can surely commute to that place. Else if it doesn’t exist, you cannot. Similarly, the concept of a uniform resource locator comes when you need to access some content or a website or even a webserver.
It’s a combination of 4 major elements. The first one is the location. The location is an identifier from the server side that hosts the website. Then you have Protocol- the way of transportation of a specific website. Mostly it’s HTTP, HTTPS, but it doesn’t mean other protocols doesn’t exist. Many other protocols could be followed according to the need.
Then you have the hostname. This is a domain name that is a must thing to be remembered. Because it’s more like an address through which you can access the website available on the internet. It’s responsible for credibility and accountability. Indeed a hostname can be a combination of alphabets and numbers too. A hostname can be a customised thing. You can choose or have your hostname, and it’s important to know if that particular hostname is available or not.
Then comes the path. It tells which page to load onto the server. Well, a website can have many pages. So if you want to explore specific pages, it’s important to mention the part after the hostname with a forward slash.
What is IP Address?
You’re somewhere remote from a location. And you want to transfer important files and documents to that system that’s accessed by that person sitting in front of the screen. It’s possible if you have their IP address. IP or internet protocol address is that set of numbers that makes the devices different from each other.
It’s a combination of numbers with dots after a number set. This IP is widely used to transfer the data. Like you have a phone number you want to make a call. You can easily dial and communicate. But if you don’t have their number, how would you make a call? Well, IP simplifies this thing and also allows distant users to connect and transmit pieces of information through the virtual wire.
Each device can be uniquely identified by an IP address. It can be fixed or changed on a regular basis. Just like you are capable of changing phone numbers. An IP looks like AAA.BBB.CC.DDD. That’s a sequential number whose order is random but lies between 001 to 255.
In general cases, most of the small network formats are 192.168.1.DDD and 192.168.0.DDD. In the case of big companies, networks are always wide and bigger, so by merging these several sub-networks of 254 IPs.
Main Differences Between URL and IP Address
- A URL is a uniform resource locator, while an IP address is an internet protocol address.
- A URL is a combination of hostname, path, location, and the protocol following, whereas an IP address is a combination of digits that lie between 0 to 255.
- A URL connects users with the websites that exist on the world wide web, while an IP address connects two or more systems simultaneously.
- A URL specifies a particular website, while an IP represents a particular system like a mobile number.
- Some examples are http://www.abcd.com or httss://www.wxyz.com, while some examples of IP are 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
Conclusion
It’s important to realise the differences between several major components. Keeping things in mind can resolve many issues in no time. An IP represents a system just like a mobile number. Indeed it could be changed while a URL is like a website representative that exists on the internet.
Even a small confusion can create many challenges to commute or communicate. So IP and URL are something very important but knowing the difference will not only save your time but also makes you aware of the variations and the basic difference.
References
- http://www.hjp.at/doc/rfc/rfc1738.html
- http://www.hjp.at/doc/rfc/rfc3022.html