What is a scheme (URI scheme)? – web development terminology

What is a URI scheme in web development terminology?

In web development, a URI scheme, also known as a Uniform Resource Identifier scheme, is a set of rules that defines how a specific type of URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) should be formatted and interpreted. URIs are used to identify resources on the internet, such as web pages, images, videos, and downloadable files.

A URI scheme acts as a prefix to a URI, indicating the protocol or type of resource being referenced. For example, in the URI “https://example.com/page”, the “https” scheme is used to denote that the resource is served using the HTTP protocol over a secure connection.

URI schemes are an important part of web development as they provide a way to specify the type and location of a resource, allowing browsers, servers, and other web tools to properly handle and process URIs.