The World’s First 5 Websites: A Journey Through the Early Internet

Launched: Early 1993
Founder: NCSA
Purpose: To provide information about the NCSA and its research
Current Status: No longer active in its original form

The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois was one of the earliest institutions to embrace the web. The NCSA website was used to share information about their supercomputing research and projects.

One of the NCSA’s most significant contributions was the development of the Mosaic web browser, which popularized the web and made it more accessible to the public. The NCSA website played a crucial role in promoting the use of the World Wide Web in academic and scientific circles.

Although the original NCSA website is no longer active, the institution’s legacy lives on through its contributions to the web and the development of modern internet browsers.

Launched: Early 1992
Founder: CERN
Purpose: To provide information about CERN’s research and activities
Current Status: Active and continuously updated

Following the launch of the World Wide Web Project, CERN created its official website to provide detailed information about its research activities and projects. The site became a vital tool for scientists and researchers to stay updated on CERN’s advancements.

CERN’s official website included sections on physics research, experiments, and ongoing projects. It also offered resources for scientists and educators interested in learning more about particle physics.

Today, CERN’s website is one of the most comprehensive scientific resources on the web. It continues to serve its original purpose of sharing knowledge and updates on CERN’s groundbreaking research.

Launched: 1991
Founder: Tim Berners-Lee
Purpose: To serve as a directory of websites
Current Status: Still active

The Virtual Library was one of the first attempts to organize the web’s growing content. Created by Tim Berners-Lee, it served as a curated directory of websites, categorized by subject. This directory made it easier for users to find information on the web, acting as an early version of modern search engines.

The Virtual Library listed websites related to various academic and scientific topics, and it was maintained by volunteers who contributed to the directory’s growth. It played a significant role in making the web more navigable in its early days.

Today, the Virtual Library is still active, although it has been modernized and expanded. It continues to function as a valuable resource for finding information online, maintaining its original mission of organizing the web’s content.

Launched: December 1991
Founder: Paul Kunz
Purpose: To provide access to scientific papers and research
Current Status: Evolved into a modern website

The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center’s website was the first website in the United States. It was created by Paul Kunz after he visited CERN and saw the potential of the World Wide Web. The site served as a digital repository for the lab’s scientific papers, making research more accessible to scientists worldwide.

This website played a significant role in showcasing the web’s potential for academic and research purposes. It also demonstrated how digital libraries could revolutionize the dissemination of knowledge.

Today, the SLAC website has evolved into a modern digital platform that continues to provide access to research papers and resources. Its legacy as one of the first websites in the world remains significant.

Launched: August 6, 1991
Founder: Tim Berners-Lee
Purpose: To explain the concept of the World Wide Web
Current Status: Archived version available

The very first website was created by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research). The website was hosted on a NeXT computer and served as an informational resource explaining the World Wide Web’s purpose, structure, and protocols.

The primary goal of the website was to provide information on how to use the web and build new web pages. It included instructions on hypertext, web servers, and browsers. This site marked the birth of the internet as a publicly accessible platform.

Today, the original website has been preserved as an archive at CERN, allowing users to see what the first website looked like. It stands as a historical artifact that represents the beginning of the digital era.