History of the Internet

From four nodes to four billion users — a journey through time

1969

The Beginning

ARPANET Goes Live

The U.S. Department of Defense launches ARPANET, connecting just 4 university nodes — the very first packet-switched network and the seed of the modern internet.

1991

World Wide Web

Tim Berners-Lee & the WWW

Tim Berners-Lee at CERN publishes the first website and introduces HTML, HTTP and URLs — turning the internet into an accessible, navigable web of information.

1994

The Browser Era

Netscape Navigator

Netscape Navigator launches, making the web visually accessible to everyday users. The "browser wars" begin, rapidly accelerating mainstream internet adoption worldwide.

1998

Search Revolution

Google is Founded

Larry Page and Sergey Brin found Google, introducing PageRank — a smarter way to search. Within years, it becomes the world's dominant gateway to all online information.

2004

Web 2.0

The Social Web

Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter emerge, transforming the internet from a read-only medium into a participatory social platform where users create and share content globally.

2007

Mobile Internet

The iPhone & Mobile Web

Apple's iPhone puts the internet in everyone's pocket. Mobile internet usage explodes, eventually overtaking desktop browsing and reshaping how humanity connects online.

2020s

AI & Cloud Era

The Intelligent Web

Cloud computing, AI, and 5G redefine the internet. Over 5 billion people are connected, with AI assistants, streaming, and real-time global collaboration becoming everyday reality.

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