One of the most common misconceptions in IB Computer Science is treating the Internet and the World Wide Web as the same thing. In everyday language, people often use these terms interchangeably, but in IB exams this leads to lost marks.
Students are expected to clearly explain what each one is, how they are related, and how they are different.
What Is the Internet?
The Internet is a global network of networks.
It is the underlying infrastructure that:
- Connects millions of devices worldwide
- Uses standard communication protocols
- Allows data to be transmitted between networks
Key points about the Internet:
- It is hardware-based and protocol-driven
- It includes physical components such as cables, routers, and servers
- It enables many different services, not just websites
In IB Computer Science, the Internet is often described as the communication backbone that makes global data transfer possible.
What Is the World Wide Web?
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a service that runs on top of the Internet.
It allows users to:
- Access web pages
- Navigate between documents using hyperlinks
- View multimedia content in browsers
Key points about the World Wide Web:
- It uses the Internet to function
- It relies on protocols such as HTTP and HTTPS
- It uses web browsers as the main access tool
Web pages are stored on web servers and retrieved by browsers using web protocols.
The Key Difference Between the Internet and the Web
The simplest way to understand the difference is:
- The Internet is the infrastructure
- The World Wide Web is one of the services that uses that infrastructure
The Internet can exist without the World Wide Web, but the World Wide Web cannot exist without the Internet.
Services That Use the Internet (Not Just the Web)
IB students should recognise that the Internet supports many services, including:
- File transfer
- Video conferencing
- Online gaming
- Cloud services
The World Wide Web is just one of many Internet-based services.
Why This Distinction Matters in IB Exams
IB exam questions often require students to:
- Define the Internet
- Define the World Wide Web
- Explain the relationship between them
- Correct misconceptions
Answers that say “the Internet is the web” or “the web is the Internet” score poorly.
Clear, structured explanations earn full marks.
Common Student Mistakes
Students often:
- Use the terms interchangeably
- Describe the web as physical hardware
- Forget that email is not part of the web
- Give everyday definitions instead of technical ones
IB examiners reward technical accuracy, not casual language.
How to Remember the Difference
A helpful way to remember:
- The Internet is like a road system
- The World Wide Web is like a delivery service using those roads
Other services also use the same roads.
Final Thoughts
The Internet and the World Wide Web are closely related but fundamentally different. The Internet is the global communication infrastructure, while the World Wide Web is a service that allows users to access linked documents through browsers.
Understanding this distinction allows IB Computer Science students to answer networking questions clearly and accurately — exactly what examiners expect.
