HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP is a method of encrypting and data transfer between a client (web browser) and a web server. HTTP is a primary protocol for information transfer on the Internet.

The information transfers between the client and servers in the form of a hypertext document. That’s where HTTP takes its name from. Hypertext is a structured text that uses logical connections or hyperlinks between the nodes containing text. The hypertext documents can be managed by means of hypertext markup language or HTML. When using HTTP and HTML the clients can request different content (i.g. text, images, video, and application data) from web servers and application servers containing it.

How does it work?

HTTP works on a request-response paradigm, where a client makes a request and a server sends a response. The response contains not only the requested content but also the relevant information on the status of a request. Such an independent solution is perfect for a distributed environment of the Internet where a request or response can pass a number of mediate routers and proxy-servers. This also allows for mediate servers to execute functions such as load distribution, caching, encrypting, and crunching.

HTTP is an application layer protocol and it functions based on a network layer protocol such as Transmission Control Protocol or TCP.

HTTP resources such as web servers are identified on the Internet using unique identification also known as Uniform Resource Identifier or URI.