Technology

HTTP

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the application-layer protocol driving all web data exchange: It dictates the client-server request-response cycle using specific methods (e.g., GET, POST) and status codes (e.g., 200, 404).

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) operates as the foundational application-layer protocol for the World Wide Web, managing the client-server request-response cycle. A client (browser) sends a request (e.g., a GET or POST method), and the server replies with a response, including a three-digit status code (like 200 OK for success) and the resource body. Though inherently stateless, the protocol leverages cookies (RFC 6265) to maintain session state across requests. We've seen major evolution: HTTP/1.1 introduced persistent connections, while HTTP/2 and the emerging HTTP/3 (based on QUIC) focus on stream multiplexing and efficiency for faster, modern web performance. This structure of methods, headers, and status codes is the universal language for web data transfer.