Legal Definitions - HTTP

HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol.

HTTP is a fundamental set of rules, or a "protocol," that governs how information is exchanged between web servers and web browsers over the internet. It acts as the language computers use to request and deliver web pages, images, videos, and other digital content. When you interact with a website, your browser sends an HTTP request to the website's server, asking for specific data. The server then processes this request and sends an HTTP response back to your browser, containing the requested information or a status message.

• Example 1: Browsing a News Website

  Imagine you type "www.globalnews.com" into your web browser. Your browser immediately sends an HTTP request to the Global News server, asking for the homepage. The server receives this request, locates the homepage data, and then uses HTTP to send that data (including the text, layout instructions, and links to images) back to your browser. Your browser then interprets this data and displays the news website on your screen.

  This illustrates HTTP's role in the initial retrieval of a web page, where your browser acts as the client requesting information and the news server responds with the content.

• Example 2: Submitting an Online Contact Form

  Suppose you're on a company's website and fill out a "Contact Us" form with your name, email, and a message. When you click the "Submit" button, your browser packages this information into an HTTP request and sends it to the company's web server. The server receives this request, processes the submitted data (perhaps saving it to a database or forwarding it to an email address), and then sends an HTTP response back to your browser, often displaying a "Thank You" message or confirming successful submission.

  This demonstrates how HTTP facilitates the sending of data from your browser to a server, enabling interactive functions like form submissions.

• Example 3: Loading an Image on a Blog Post

  When you visit a blog post that contains several embedded images, your browser first sends an HTTP request for the main text of the blog post. As your browser begins to display the text, it encounters references to the images. For each image, your browser sends a separate HTTP request to the server (or sometimes to a different server if images are hosted externally) to fetch that specific image file. The server then uses HTTP to deliver each image, allowing them to appear alongside the text on the blog post.

  This highlights that a single web page often involves multiple HTTP requests and responses for different components (like text and images), all working together to assemble the complete content you see.