Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The purpose of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is to locate specific web data on a server. A URL serves as an address that helps browsers and other web clients identify and retrieve data from the internet. It specifies the protocol to use (such as HTTP or HTTPS), the domain name of the server (like www.example.com), and the path to the specific resource or page within that server (for example, /path/to/resource).

This structured format allows users and applications to easily access resources on the web. For instance, when you enter a URL in the address bar of your browser, it directs the browser to send a request to the server for the data associated with that URL, resulting in the desired web page being displayed.

In contrast, other options do not accurately define the primary purpose of a URL. For example, setting up network configurations relates to how networks are structured and function, managing web traffic concerns the flow and optimization of data over the internet, and encrypting data transmission focuses on securing the data being transferred rather than locating it.