What is the name for that thing that lets part of the URL be an argument?

Question

For example:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/698627/ms-access-properties

The number is part of the URL but is an argument to the web app as opposed to other options like:

http://www.google.com/firefox?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

where all the args come after the '?'. I have used the second form before and I'm only trying to learn about the first form.

I'm sure I can find what else I need once I known what that's called so I can Google it.

Answer 1

URL Rewriting, generally.

Edit: Here is a good introduction to URL Rewriting.

Answer 2

That's just URL mapping. It lets you use pretty URLs instead of a large query string.

Answer 3

It's usually called the 'path info'.

Answer 4

I believe the StackOverflow URL works that way because it is using MVC whereas your bottom example is using standard requests.

Answer 5

Variables passed in the form of a URL are called the Query String. In a url like:

 http://examples.com?a=b&c=d&e=f

The query string is ?a=b&c=d&e=f

In the Stackoverflow example, it uses URL Rewriting, specifically with MVC Routing to make 'pretty URLs'. There are other ways to do it in other languages. Some make use of Apache's mod_rewrite (example) while others parse the requested URI. In PHP a url like

 http://example.com/index.php/test/path/info

can be parsed by reading $_SERVER['PATH_INFO'] which is /text/path/info.

Generally, they are using URL Rewriting to simulate the query string however. In the Stackoverflow example:

 http://stackoverflow.com/questions/698711/what-is-the-name-for-that-thing-that-lets-part-of-the-url-be-an-argument

The important parts are the questions/698711. You can change the title of the question with impunity but the other two parts you cannot.

Answer 6

It is indeed done by URL rewriting.

Usually, web application frameworks do this automatically if you install it correctly on your server.

Check out CakePHP as an example.

Answer 7

It's called a URL parameter and uses the HTTP GET method. As others mentioned, it can be rewritten using URL rewriting so that the URL is easier to read and use. Some search keywords: "SEF URLs", "Apache Rewrite", "pretty URLs".