A URL is a complex object. It contains at least six separate pieces of information. More information can be included via optional elements.
A URL such as http://127.0.0.1:5000/dealer/hand/?cards=13&$format=json has several fields:
- http is the scheme. https is for secure connections using encrypted sockets.
- 127.0.0.1 can be called the authority, although network location is more commonly used. This particular IP address means the localhost and is a kind of loopback to the localhost. The name localhost maps to this IP address.
- 5000 is the port number, and is part of the authority.
- /dealer/hand/ is the path to a resource.
- cards=13&$format=json is a query string, and it's separated from the path by the ? character.
The query string can be quite complex. While not an official standard, it's possible (and common) for a query...
