What is URI?
URI is a string of characters that identifies a resource on the internet or within a system, providing a standardized way to locate or name resources using a specific syntax.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Uniform Resource Identifier |
|---|---|
| Created | 2026-02-01 |
| Specification | Official Specification |
How URI Works
URI serves as a universal naming and addressing system for resources in computing. It encompasses both URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) that specify how to access a resource, and URNs (Uniform Resource Names) that provide persistent identifiers. URIs follow a structured syntax defined by RFC 3986, consisting of a scheme, authority, path, query, and fragment components. This standardized format enables consistent resource identification across different protocols and systems, forming the foundation of web architecture and distributed computing.
Key Characteristics
- Follows RFC 3986 standard syntax structure
- Consists of scheme, authority, path, query, and fragment components
- Supports hierarchical and opaque naming schemes
- Case-sensitive in path and query components
- Uses percent-encoding for special characters
- Enables both location (URL) and name (URN) based identification
Common Use Cases
- Identifying web resources and API endpoints
- Referencing files and documents in applications
- Linking resources in hypertext documents
- Configuring service connections and database URLs
- Implementing RESTful web services
Example
https://example.com:8080/path/to/resource?query=value#section