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URI, URL, URN

URI, Uniform Resource Identifier

A URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) is a string that refers to a resource. The most common are URLs, which identify the resource by giving its location on the Web. URNs, by contrast, refer to a resource by a name, in a given namespace, such as the ISBN of a book.

URL, Uniform Resource Locator

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a text string that specifies where a resource (such as a web page, image, or video) can be found on the Internet. It is a subset of URI.

In the context of HTTP, URLs are called “Web address” or “link”.

Syntax

URL Syntax

URN, Uniform Resource Name

URN (Uniform Resource Name) is a URI in a standard format, referring to a resource without specifying its location or whether it exists. This example comes from RFC 3986:

urn:oasis:names:specification:docbook:dtd:xml:4.1.2

Python Examples (Recipes)

References