The Internet has been around for as long as most of us can remember, but many don’t know about its fascinating web design history. As something we use every day, the question of origin may come up from time-to-time: what was the very first website? What did it look like?
We can trace the Internet itself all the way back to the mid 20th century. It looked a bit different than it does today, and its sole purpose was to communicate between different computers. Obviously, this isn’t the Internet we use today because it had a bit of a face change throughout web design history. Let’s explore how web pages started and how it paved the way for the net we visit on a daily basis.
Exploring the Beginnings of the World Wide Web
In 1989, English computer scientist, Tim Berners, created the publicly accessible “World Wide Web” with the intent of sharing information with everyone who had access to it. Two years later, he launched the very first website.
The World Wide Web site is just the bare bones of the Internet, and it isn’t much to look at: no pictures, no memes, not even long lists of computer code. Just a white page of text like a Word document.
The world’s first website
The first web pages read like a directory, showing us a list of options and within those sections, information about Berner’s ideas and goals for the Internet. It talks about ways to find information and encourages users to add their information.
The front page looks something like this:
- What’s out there?
- Help
- Software Products
- Technical
- Bibliography
- People
- History
- How can I help?
- Getting code
One thing that is interesting to note is that in the “What’s out there?” section, there is a link to “W3 servers.” “This is a list of old servers, most of which no longer work. The first website truly is a fascinating piece of history!
What’s next in the future of websites?
Since its official birth nearly 30 years ago, the Internet has evolved into something huge. Not only is it implemented into our daily lives, but it also started the digital era and influenced the world to the point of having its own online culture. Hard to believe a small Wiki-type page has woven this intricate “web” and changed the world.
The Gift of Modern Web Design
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