How a Browser Renders a Webpage — And Where React, CSR, and SSR Fit In

When we type a URL in the browser and press Enter , a lot happens behind the scenes before the webpage appears on the screen. Understanding this process is important for frontend developers because it explains why some websites load instantly while others show a blank screen first . In this article, we’ll walk through: How a browser processes a request How the UI is rendered Where React , Client-Side Rendering (CSR) , and Server-Side Rendering (SSR) come into play 1. The Request Process When a user enters a URL like: https://example.com the browser performs several steps. Step 1: Check Cache The browser first checks whether the website resources are already stored locally in cache. Step 2: DNS Lookup If not found, the browser asks the Domain Name System to convert the domain name into an IP address. Example: example.com → 93.184.216.34 Step 3: Establish Connection The browser opens a connection with the server using Transmission Control Protocol . If the website uses HTTPS, a secure co