Show understanding of the differences between the World Wide Web (WWW) and the internet

Published by Patrick Mutisya · 14 days ago

Cambridge A-Level Computer Science 9618 – Networks: WWW vs Internet

2.1 Networks – The Internet and the World Wide Web

Learning Objective

Show understanding of the differences between the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet.

Key Definitions

  • Internet: A global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate.

  • World Wide Web (WWW): An application‑layer service that runs on the Internet, providing hypertext documents (web pages) accessed via HTTP/HTTPS.

How They Relate

The Internet is the underlying infrastructure; the WWW is one of many services that use that infrastructure, alongside email (SMTP), file transfer (FTP), VoIP, etc.

Comparison Table

AspectInternetWorld Wide Web (WWW)
Layer in the OSI modelNetwork layer (and below) – primarily TCP/IPApplication layer (HTTP/HTTPS)
Primary purposeProvide a universal packet‑switching network for any type of data.Deliver hypertext documents and multimedia via browsers.
Core protocolsIP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc.HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, CSS, JavaScript.
Typical usersNetwork engineers, ISPs, any device that needs connectivity.General public, content creators, web developers.
Examples of servicesRouting, DNS, email (SMTP), streaming (RTSP), remote login (SSH).Websites, web applications, online portals.
Physical componentsCables, routers, switches, satellites, data centres.Web servers, browsers, content delivery networks (CDNs).
Scope of definitionBroad – the entire global network.Narrow – a subset of the Internet dedicated to hypermedia.

Illustrative Diagram (Suggested)

Suggested diagram: A layered illustration showing the Internet as the foundation (physical media, routers, IP) with the WWW as an application layer on top, linked to browsers and web servers.

Common Misconceptions

  1. Thinking the WWW *is* the Internet. The WWW is only one of many services that run on the Internet.

  2. Assuming every device on the Internet can display web pages. Only devices with a web browser and HTTP capability can access the WWW.

  3. Believing that the Internet and the WWW share the same protocols. The Internet uses TCP/IP for transport, while the WWW adds HTTP/HTTPS for content delivery.

Summary

In summary, the Internet is the global network infrastructure that enables the transmission of all kinds of digital data. The World Wide Web is a specific application that uses this infrastructure to deliver hypertext and multimedia content via web browsers. Understanding the distinction helps students grasp why other services (email, FTP, VoIP) continue to operate even if the WWW were unavailable.