The protocol of the World Wide Web and its secure version.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the foundational protocol for the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. HTTP follows a client-server model, where a client (usually a web browser) sends an HTTP request to a server, and the server responds with an HTTP response, which often contains the requested resource, like an HTML page, an image, or data. HTTP is a stateless protocol, meaning each request is executed independently, without any knowledge of the requests that came before it. Common HTTP request methods include GET (to retrieve data), POST (to submit data to be processed), PUT (to update a resource), and DELETE (to delete a resource). The server's response includes a status code to indicate the outcome, such as '200 OK' (successful), '404 Not Found' (resource not found), or '500 Internal Server Error'. The major drawback of HTTP is that it transmits data in plaintext, making it vulnerable to eavesdropping. To solve this, Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) was created. HTTPS is essentially the HTTP protocol layered on top of the SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) protocol. SSL/TLS encrypts the communication between the client and the server, providing confidentiality and integrity. It also authenticates the server (and sometimes the client), ensuring you are communicating with the legitimate website and not an imposter. Today, HTTPS is the standard for all web traffic.