URL structure: what every part of a web address does.
Paste a URL to see it split into scheme, host, port, path, query and fragment. Click a part for an explanation.
Explain a URL
Runs in your browserTurn any long URL into a short, trackable link.
Once the destination checks out, shorten it with click analytics by source, location and device, all in one dashboard.
Anatomy of a URL.
Every address is built from the same parts, in the same order.
A URL starts with a scheme such as https, which says how to connect. Next comes the host, made of a domain and any subdomains, optionally followed by a port. After that the path names the resource on the server, the query string carries extra parameters, and the fragment points to a spot within the page.
Reading a URL by its parts makes it easier to spot a typo in a redirect, to understand a tracking link, or to see where an address really leads: the part that matters for trust is the domain, not the words in the path.
Common questions
What is the difference between a domain and a host? +
The host is the full name of the server, such as shop.example.com. The domain is the part you register, example.com, and the subdomain is whatever sits in front of it.
Is the fragment sent to the server? +
No. Everything after # stays in the browser.
Why does the port often not appear? +
https and http have default ports, 443 and 80, which are used when none is written.
What is the part before the @ sign? +
Credentials. Browsers ignore anything before @ when deciding where to go, which is a trick used in phishing links, so be careful with those.