URI And URL Difference

URI

An URI identifies a resource. It is a locator. It includes a URI scheme, authority, path, query and fragment by syntax. For example, http: is a URI scheme.

Syntax of URI based on RFC 3986

foo://example.com:8042/over/there?name=ferret#nose
\_/ \______________/\_________/ \_________/ \__/
| | | | |
scheme authority path query fragment
| _____________________|__
/ \ / \
urn:example:animal:ferret:nose

URL

The term “Uniform Resource Locator” (URL) refers to the subset of URIs that, in addition to identifying a resource, provide a means of locating the resource by describing its primary access mechanism (e.g., its network “location”).

URN

The term “Uniform Resource Name” (URN) is used to identify a resource independent of its location. Example urn:ISBN:1-23-432536-5

Summary of differences between URI and URL

• A URI was either a URL or a URN.
• URL is a subset of URI. It identifies a resource using one of the URI schemes.
• URN is a subset of URI. It identifies a resource independent of its location.

Whenever you have a doubt that, whether something is a URL or URI then use URI as a term to identify it. Since URI is a super set of URL.