Final answer:
The World Wide Web debuted in 1991 with the creation of HTML, URLs, and HTTP by Tim Berners-Lee. The release of these technologies for free by CERN and the introduction of the MOSAIC browser in 1993 made the web more accessible, leading to a rapid increase in the number of websites and the birth of Web 1.0.
Step-by-step explanation:
The World Wide Web (WWW) debuted in 1991, marking a pivotal moment in digital communication history. Conceived by Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at CERN, the web was outlined in his "Information Management: A Proposal". Although the initial reaction to the proposal was "Vague but exciting", it laid the foundation for the web's development on a NeXT computer. Berners-Lee created HTML, URI (URL), and HTTP, the three core technologies that underpin the web. In promoting openness, CERN released these protocols without cost, shifting away from the commercial nature of subscription services like AOL that dominated the early internet.
The expansion of the web was dramatically influenced by Marc Andreessen's MOSAIC browser in 1993. Its user-friendly interface made the web accessible to a broader audience, contributing to the rise in the number of websites from just one at CERN in 1991 to 2,738 by the time Yahoo launched in 1994. The development of simple website building applications like Microsoft Frontpage further democratized web creation, enabling those with modest skills to build their presence online. This era, now referred to as Web 1.0, saw explosive growth in websites and users, which has continued to evolve into the current age of social media and e-commerce platforms.