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If you're in the tech world, you're likely familiar with networking jargon daily. However, these terms can often be confusing. In this article, I'll explain key networking concepts using simple analogies, ensuring you understand them clearly. By the end of this blog, you'll have a solid understanding of these terms and feel more confident in your tech knowledge.
Before diving into the networking jargon, let's first understand what networking is. As it might seem like just another jargons for you, let's break it down and grasp what networking truly means.
Networking
Imagine you and your friends have A Smartphone. Each Smart Phone represents a device, and the radio waves that connect them are like the network. When you press the button to talk, your voice (data) travels through the radio waves to your friend's Phone (the destination).
In this scenario:
Your Smartphone is like your device(mobile).
Your voice is the data you want to send.
The radio waves are the network that carries the data.
Your friend's smartphone is the destination device.
Just like smartphones need a clear channel to communicate, devices use networks (like Wi-Fi or the Internet) to send and receive data. Networking is the process that makes sure your voice (data) reaches the right smartphone (device) smoothly and accurately.
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is like the dedicated waiter of the internet world, ensuring you get served with the right web content.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): Think of HTTP as the waiter at a restaurant, bringing you the menu items you request.
Hypertext: It's like a special dish on the menu that comes with a recommendation to try another dish (hyperlink).
Transfer: Imagine HTTP as the waiter who delivers your order from the kitchen (webserver) to your table (web browser).
Protocol: It’s essentially a set of restaurant rules and guidelines that the waiter follows to ensure everything is served smoothly and efficiently.
HTTPS: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
Imagine HTTPS as a waiter who delivers your food and ensures your order is safe and secure.
Secure: HTTPS adds an extra layer of protection like the waiter putting your meal in a locked, tamper-proof box before bringing it to you. This ensures no one else can mess with your food during the transfer.
Stateless and stateful
Stateless
Definition: A stateless system doesn't retain any memory of previous interactions. Each request from the client is treated as a new, independent transaction.
Analogy: Imagine going to a fast-food restaurant where every time you order, the waiter has no idea of your previous orders. Each interaction is fresh and unrelated to any past orders.
Example: HTTP is a stateless protocol. When you visit a website, each page request is treated separately without any memory of previous pages you viewed.
Stateful
Definition: A stateful system retains information about previous interactions. It keeps track of the state of interactions over time.
Analogy: Think of a high-end restaurant where the staff remembers your preferences from past visits. They know you like your steak medium-rare and remember your favorite dessert.
stateless systems treat each request independently, while stateful systems remember past interactions and maintain context. Both have their own advantages and use cases depending on the requirements of the application.
Curious about how web apps remember you? When you visit a web app using the HTTP or HTTPS protocol, it's stateless, meaning it forgets each interaction. However, it can still suggest your friends, followings, and direct messages (DMs) on Instagram every time you log in.
Cookies
Cookies are small pieces of data(username, email, user ID) stored on your browser. They help websites remember you by storing information such as your login credentials, preferences, and user settings.
important
Client-Side Storage: Cookies are stored on the client side, meaning they reside on your computer or device.
Privacy and Security: Never share your cookies with anyone. They can contain sensitive information, including your login credentials.
Session
Sessions involve temporary storage that keeps track of your activities while you are logged in. They maintain context and continuity during your visit to a website.
Example: sessions can remember that you are logged in as a specific user and retain your interactions until you log out or the session expires.
Important
Temporary Storage: Sessions are stored temporarily on the server side, meaning they exist only while you are actively using the website.
Session ID: Each session has a unique identifier (session ID) that helps the server recognize your specific session and maintain continuity.
HTTP Headers
HTTP headers are key-value pairs sent between the client and server. They provide important information about the request or response, such as content type, length, and encoding.
This additional data helps the server understand and process your request effectively.
Device Information: Details about the device making the request (e.g., mobile, desktop).
User Agent: Information about the browser or app being used.
IP Address: The unique address identifying your device on the network.
Other Metadata: Additional details like content type, language preferences, and more.
Payload
The payload is the actual data being transferred in the HTTP request or response. It's the body content that follows the headers.
For example, in a POST request(such as submitting a Form), the payload could be form data or JSON that needs to be processed by the server.
Ip Address
An IP address is like the digital home address for your device on the internet. Just as your home address lets mail reach you, an IP address ensures data finds its way to your device.
IP: Internet Protocol
Handles logical addressing and routing of data.
Example: Assigning and using IP addresses to forward packets between devices.
DNS: Domain Name System
DNS (Domain Name System) is like the phonebook of the internet. It helps translate human-friendly domain names into IP addresses that computers use to locate each other on the network.
Domain Name: Think of a website's domain name (like devfluence.in) as a contact name in your phonebook.
IP Address: This is like the phone number that corresponds to the contact name.
How DNS Works:
Typing the Domain Name: When you type "devfluence.in" into your web browser, it's like looking up a contact by name in your phonebook.
DNS Lookup: The DNS server acts like the phonebook, finding the correct IP address (phone number) that matches "devfluence.in."
Connecting to the Server: Once the IP address is found, your browser uses it to connect to the web server that hosts the website, just like dialing the phone number to reach the contact.
In this article, we simplify complex networking concepts using everyday analogies to enhance your understanding of the tech world. Key topics include the basics of networking, HTTP and HTTPS protocols, the differences between stateless and stateful systems, cookies, sessions, HTTP headers, payloads, IP addresses, and the DNS system. By the end, you'll gain a clear comprehension of these terms, making you more confident in navigating technical discussions.