HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol

Posted by Harisinh | Posted in | Posted on 1:06 PM

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The protocol used to transfer a Web page between a browser and a Web server is known as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP operates at the application level. HTTP is a protocol used mainly to access data on the World Wide Web. HTTP functions like a combination of FTP and SMTP. It is similar to FTP because it transfers files, while HTTP is like SMTP because the data transferred between the client and the server looks like SMTP messages. However, HTTP differs from SMTP in the way that SMTP messages are stored and forwarded; HTTP messages are delivered immediately. As a simple example, a browser sends an HTTP GET command to request a Web page from a server. A browser contacts a Web server directly to obtain a page. The browser begins with a URL, extracts the hostname section, uses DNS to map the name
into an equivalent IP address, and uses the IP address to form a TCP connection to the server. Once the TCP connection is in place, the browser and Web server use HTTP to communicate. Thus, if the browser sends a request to retrieve a specific page, the server responds by sending a copy of the page.

A browser requests a Web page, and the server transfers a copy to the browser. HTTP also allows transfer from a browser to a server. HTTP allows browsers and servers to negotiate details such as the character set to be used during transfers. To improve response time, a browser caches a copy of each Web page it retrieves. HTTP allows a machine
along the path between a browser and a server to act as a proxy server that caches Web pages and answers a browser’s request from its cache. Proxy servers are an important part of the Web architecture because they reduce the load on servers. In summary, a browser and server use HTTP to communicate. HTTP is an applicationlevel protocol with explicit support for negotiation, proxy servers, caching and persistent connections.

This is what all about the HTTP. The protocols are set of rules for working. Enjoy.....

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