URL

The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the unique address string that specifies a resource's location and retrieval method on a network (e.g., a web page via HTTPS).

The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the foundational addressing mechanism for the web, standardized in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee. It functions as a complete digital street address, directing a client to a specific resource (file, image, or HTML document) via a defined protocol. A standard URL, like `https://www.example.com/data/report.pdf`, breaks down into core components: the scheme (`https`), the authority (domain `www.example.com`), and the path (`/data/report.pdf`). This structure ensures unique identification and dictates the necessary access method, making it a critical subspecies of the broader Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) standard.

https://url.spec.whatwg.org/