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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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How It Works • Web

Tim Berners-Lee

Tim Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Tim Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web. He created the first web client and server at CERN in 1990 and later founded the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to develop web standards.

Early life and education

Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in 1955 and studied physics at Oxford University. He later worked in computing and research settings that led to his interest in linked information systems.

Inventing the World Wide Web

At CERN, Berners-Lee proposed a global hypertext system in 1989 and built the first web client and server in 1990. The system became the foundation of the modern Web and included early implementations of HTML, HTTP, and URLs.

Career and advocacy

Berners-Lee founded the W3C in 1994 to develop web standards and improve interoperability. He has remained active in promoting open access, privacy, and decentralization on the Web.

In short

  • Invented the World Wide Web at CERN in 1989.
  • Wrote the first web client and server in 1990.
  • Defined core web technologies including HTML, HTTP, and URLs.
  • Founded the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1994.
Canadian angle

The World Wide Web is globally foundational technology, so Berners-Lee’s work is directly relevant to Canadian internet users, educators, publishers, and tech companies.

Quick questions

Who is Tim Berners-Lee?
Tim Berners-Lee is a British computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web.
What did Tim Berners-Lee invent?
He invented the World Wide Web and helped develop foundational web technologies such as HTML, HTTP, and URLs.
Tim Berners-Lee age
He was born on 8 June 1955, so he is 71 years old as of 2026.

Sources

  1. W3C — https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/
    Supports: Invented the World Wide Web at CERN; wrote the first web client and server; founded the W3C.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Tim-Berners-Lee
    Supports: Birth date and place; identification as inventor of the World Wide Web.
  3. University of Oxford — https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/people/sir-tim-berners-lee
    Supports: Invented the Web at CERN in 1989; W3C and later career details.
  4. Royal Society — https://www.royalsociety.org/people/timothy-berners-lee-11074/
    Supports: Invented the World Wide Web; developed URL, HTTP and HTML-related foundational work.
  5. Internet Hall of Fame — https://www.internethalloffame.org/official-biography-tim-berners-lee/
    Supports: Biography details; first server/client; timeline of web development.
  6. EBSCO Research Starters — https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/tim-berners-lee
    Supports: Marriage to Rosemary Leith and previous marriage; children; biography overview.