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What is HTTP - Definition
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) - is a protocol that defines the rules of data transfer and communication between HTTP clients and web servers. The HTTP protocol defines a standardized way in which information is available, processed, and read by the web server and how an HTTP request is answered. In your browser, you can find it in the web address window, just before the www (world wide web). Developers use it to transfer data from a web server to a browser, so the users could view a web page.
How HTTP method helps web pages?
The purpose of a web page is to publish information, and HTTP makes this possible. Data sent over this protocol is not encrypted connection, and therefore sensitive data like passwords, logins, email addresses, or form content are vulnerable to interception, reading, and even modification.
We should also add that the HTTP protocol is a so-called stateless protocol. Stateless protocol means that it does not store any data. Its advantage is that it is not overloading servers. This protocol uses cookies that make it possible to track the actions of Internet users visiting our sites. It has been in use since 1990.
How does it work?
Web clients send HTTP requests to the webserver. Then, each request is associated with a resource. A resource can be an image, an HTML page, or a JavaScript file. The HTTP protocol itself does not define what precisely a resource is. It only describes how to access the resource. Each resource has its unique identifier. This identifier is URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), and it is a response message.
The hypertext transfer protocol HTTP defines the exact communication format between clients and servers. This communication relies on the already mentioned HTTP requests and responses. What the HTTP protocol determines is the format of these messages.
Besides clients and servers, there are additional nodes in the communication. For example, servers may keep a copy of the HTTP response to speed up communication. They may also be network elements that allow the request to reach the server efficiently.
HTTP and Search Engine Operation.
Nowadays, it is best to implement HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) instead of HTTP as it increases the security of a website. Websites that have HTTP protocol are termed as potentially unsafe, which reduces users' trust in them. Moreover, having HTTPS protocol is one factor that positively affects the SEO of a website - that means better visibility in web browsers.
