What is the difference between an absolute and relative URL?

An absolute URL includes the full web address, the protocol (such as http or https) and the domain name (such as www.example.com). A relative URL, on the other hand, specifies the location of a resource relative to the current web page. For example, a relative URL might include the file path (such as /images/picture.jpg) or the relative path (such as ../images/picture.jpg).