Understanding a website

A website consists of a collection of web pages. Each web page is a distinct file, with a unique file name. The web pages are typically grouped, making the arrangement of information more logical which, amongst other things, makes pages easier to find. This arrangement is referred to as a tree and the groups of pages are analogous to branches on that tree.

The topmost page is referred to as the home page. This is the page that users will see when entering the website and is typically a summary page that provides access to the main areas of the website. In very concise websites there may exist only a home page, with all the information contained on it alone. There is no limit to the length of a webpage, but there are obvious practical constraints.

In a website with multiple pages, grouped to create a tree-like structure, the pages that have other pages beneath them are called parent pages. The pages that are arranged beneath the parents are called child pages – just think of a family tree. A parent page will contain links (in the form of text or perhaps graphics) that enable the user to access the child pages.

An illustration of a typical (and very basic) website is shown below.