Uniform Resource Identifier
string of characters used to identify an abstract or physical resource
A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), formerly Universal Resource Identifier, is a unique sequence of characters that identifies an abstract or physical resource, such as a webpage, service, email address, phone number, book, real-world object (such as person or place), or concept. In particular, the resource need not be retrievable via the Internet, or any computer network.
Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and Uniform Resource Names (URNs) are both subordinate classifications, and non-mutually exclusive. URLs are those which both identify and provide means of locating a resource "by describing its primary access mechanism" (e.g. its network or file system location). URNs identify resources with names which can be location independent.
The web technologies that use URIs are not limited to web browsers.
History
Conception
URIs and URLs have a shared history. In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee's proposals for hypertext implicitly introduced the idea of a URL as a short string representing a resource that is the target of a hyperlink. At the time, people referred to it as a "hypertext name" or "document name".
The public source identifies “Uniform Resource Identifier” as string of characters used to identify an abstract or physical resource. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Uniform, Resource and Identifier.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Uniform Resource Identifier”, the useful work is to connect “string of characters used to identify an abstract or physical resource” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q61694. The Library of Congress control number is sh2002000192. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1990.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Uniform Resource Identifier”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Uniform Resource Identifier primary sources, Uniform Resource Identifier archive and Uniform research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Uniform Resource Identifier”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Uniform Resource Identifier” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.