As web developers, we depend on network protocols to ensure the products we build are available and accessible to our users. Despite this, many of us are poorly aware of how the layers of the network stack actually work, or why they are there.

Understanding the things that happen between physical signals on the wire and your web application will help you hone your craft and level you up. Fortunately, the basic concepts of network protocols are easy to grasp, with a little guidance. So let's walk together through these concepts, and peel away the layers of the network stack one by one.