What are the parts of the air-conditioning system and how they work and interact together?

What are the parts of the 2014 Nissan Versa SV air-conditioning system and how they work and interact together and how much does it cost to change the complete air-conditioning system? I heard about the compressor and the evaporator but I don't know what those two parts are and how they work and how much does a complete air-conditioning overhaul cost, thank you in advance for your valuable information. Alex Stathas