Types of Websites
A website is a digital’site’ on the internet where information lives and can be accessed by users who have a web browser and an Internet connection. A website can be made by an individual, business, organization or governmental entity to convey specific information and services. Websites are also one of the main tools used for social media marketing and online branding.
A website consists of several files and related resources that are organized around a central “home page” or landing page. Typical files found at a website include HTML documents and their associated graphic image files (JPEG, GIF, etc) and scripted programs in various programming languages such as PHP and Java. Web servers (the computers where a website is stored) transfer these files to users using HTTP requests from web browsers, which in turn display them on the screen of the user’s computer.
The information on a website is structured in a set of rules and conventions based on Hypertext Markup Language, which defines how browsers display web pages and the elements that make up each one. Like DNA, it is the ‘blueprint’ of the information that makes up a website, but instead of DNA telling the cell how to be a human or an oak tree, this code tells browsers how to structure web pages and the information that goes into them.
Websites can be divided into three broad categories based on the type of content they offer, the technology used to create them and their purpose:
Commercial websites provide transactional information and sell products or services, such as an online store or ticketing platform. They typically feature product catalogues and descriptions, payment methods and security policies, and user-friendly navigation tools. Examples of commercial websites include eBay and Amazon.
A blog is an informational website that focuses on a single topic and includes discrete, often informal diary-style text entries. Posts are usually displayed in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent post appears first at the top of the web page. Blogs can be incorporated into other types of websites or stand alone, such as personal blogs.
A forum website brings together people with similar interests to discuss common issues, ideas or topics. They can include timelines or chat rooms and may be interactive, such as Reddit, or simply passive, such as Brown Skin Brunchin, a community for professional minority women. Other types of forums include discussion boards, Q&A sites and social networking websites. Many of these websites require an annual fee to use and maintain, but there are free options such as Tumblr and Xanga. For the most powerful and versatile forum websites, users need a high-speed Internet connection. This can be difficult to achieve in developing countries and in rural areas. For this reason, some people opt to host their own sites on private home computers, although this requires a great deal of technical skill and resources. Others use web hosting services to simplify the process, or rely on drag and drop web-builders such as Squarespace or WordPress.