Glossary of terms

HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP)

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol used primarily on the World Wide Web. The Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a set of rules and standards that facilitate the transfer of information over the Internet. It uses a unique structured hypertext format that defines logical relationships between nodes containing texts.

HTTP uses a client-server model where a web browser is a client and communicates with a web server that hosts a website. The browser uses HTTP, which is transmitted over TCP/IP, to communicate with the server and retrieve web content for the user. An important feature of HTTP is that it is connectionless, has no static data, and is environmentally dependent. It is these characteristics that make HTTP simple yet powerful.

The process begins with a simple request to, say, google.com (the host), asking it to open a web page. After receiving the request, the HTTP server responds to it, and the results are interpreted by the HTTP client.

So the HTTP life cycle looks like this:

1. The browser connects to the google.com server and sends an HTTP request.

2. The google.com server receives the request, interprets it and responds.

3.The browser receives the HTTP response, interprets it, and displays it depending on the format.

However, since HTTP itself does not ensure data transmission security, developers have created an adapted extension – HTTPS, or HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure, is an integral part of the HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) designed to enhance the security of data exchange between clients and servers over the Internet. It provides a secure and encrypted communication channel by employing cryptographic protocols, commonly Transport Layer Security (TLS). HTTPS serves to encrypt transmitted data, providing confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. This secure extension of HTTP is widely used, especially in scenarios involving sensitive information like online transactions, login credentials, and personal data, fostering a safer online environment for users. URLs using HTTPS are distinguished by the “https://” scheme, and the protocol operates on the default port 443, offering an essential layer of protection for secure web communication.

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