What is HTTP?
HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the foundational protocol used for transmitting data on the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted between web browsers and servers, and how servers should respond to various commands.
How Does HTTP Work?
HTTP operates as a request-response protocol. A client (usually a web browser) sends an HTTP request to a server, which processes it and returns an HTTP response. Requests use methods like GET (retrieve data), POST (submit data), PUT (update data), and DELETE (remove data). Each response includes a status code (like 200 for success, 404 for not found, 500 for server error) and the requested content.
HTTP/1.1 was the standard for many years, but HTTP/2 brought significant improvements including multiplexing (sending multiple requests over a single connection), header compression, and server push. The latest version, HTTP/3, uses the QUIC transport protocol instead of TCP, offering faster connection establishment and better performance on unreliable networks. While HTTP itself is unencrypted, HTTPS adds TLS encryption for secure communication.