I had, for decades, referred anything residing online as a ‘file’ and its address as a ‘URL’ to be accessed from the browser. However, I uncovered an interesting truth in my online research with a term called ‘URI’ or ‘Uniform Resource Identifier’:
One can classify URIs as locators (URLs), or as names (URNs), or as both. A Uniform Resource Name (URN) functions like a person’s name, while a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) resembles that person’s street address. In other words: the URN defines an item’s identity, while the URL provides a method for finding it.
The article further states that the term ‘URL’ has become or is becoming deprecated. Though it shows examples of a URI which it says, can also be called a URL, causing confusion. Furthermore, we don’t know the design implications of using the URI/URL terms intermittently, which usually takes a while before it enters popular tech lexicon. Considering this, and to avoid a confusing situation (or spark a debate in a meeting or chat), I would suggest using ‘URL’ for now.