What is HTTP [HyperText Transfer Protocol]?

HTTP is a protocol that allows for communication between a user's device and a website. When a user enters a website's URL into their browser, the browser sends an HTTP request to the website's server. The server then processes the request and sends back the requested webpage in the form of an HTTP response. This response includes the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that the browser uses to display the webpage. However, HTTP is not a secure protocol, meaning that the information being sent can be intercepted by others. This is why HTTPS, which adds an extra layer of security to communication, is often used instead.

Some important features of HTTP

1. Stateless: HTTP is a stateless protocol, which means that it doesn't retain any information about previous interactions between the client and server. This makes it simple and efficient, but also means that additional mechanisms like cookies and sessions are required to maintain the state.

2. Client-Server Model: HTTP uses a client-server model, which means that the client (e.g. a web browser) sends a request to the server and the server sends back a response. This model allows for a separation of concerns, making it easier to update and maintain the client and server components separately.

3. Request-Response: HTTP uses a request-response model, which means that the client sends a request message to the server and the server sends back a response message. This allows for clear and consistent communication between the client and server.

4. Extensible: HTTP is an extensible protocol, which means that new methods, headers, and status codes can be added as needed. This allows HTTP to evolve to meet the changing needs of the internet.

5. Platform-Independent: HTTP is platform-independent, which means that it can be used by any type of device or operating system. This allows for a wide range of devices to access and use the same resources on the internet.

6. Cacheable: HTTP allows for caching of responses by the client, which means that the client can store a copy of the response and use it instead of sending a new request to the server, this improves the performance by reducing the number of requests and the load on the server.

Catchup of HTTP

HTTP is a request-response protocol, which means that a client sends a request message to a server, and the server responds with a response message. The request message includes a request line (e.g., GET /index.html HTTP/1.1) and a message header, whereas the response message includes a status line (e.g., HTTP/1.1 200 OK) and a message header. To perform various actions on a server, HTTP employs a variety of methods such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and so on.

What is HTTPS [HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure]?

The HTTP standard protocol for data transmission over the internet. It adds an extra layer of security to the communication process by encrypting data sent between the browser and the server using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security). This encryption makes it much more difficult for hackers to intercept and read the data, which is especially important when sensitive data, such as passwords or credit card numbers, is transmitted. When a website uses HTTPS, the URL begins with "https" rather than "http," and a padlock icon appears in the browser's address bar. This indicates that the website is secure and that any data sent is encrypted.

Some important features of HTTPS

1. Encryption: HTTPS uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt the data being sent between the browser and the server. This encryption makes it much more difficult for hackers to intercept and read the data, which helps to protect sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers.

2. Authentication: HTTPS uses digital certificates to authenticate the identity of the website. These certificates are issued by trusted certificate authorities (CA) and help to ensure that the user is connecting to the correct website, rather than a phishing site.

3. Data Integrity: HTTPS also provides data integrity, it ensures that the data cannot be modified during transit, which helps to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

4. Secure Handshake: HTTPS uses a secure handshake process between the client and server, that negotiates the encryption method, and verifies the digital certificate before transmitting the data.

5. Improved Security: HTTPS is more secure than HTTP, it provides an extra layer of security by encrypting the data and authenticating the website identity, which helps to protect the user's privacy and security.

6. Compliance: HTTPS also helps websites to comply with various regulations such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, etc. which require secure communication.

Catchup of HTTPS

HTTPS is an HTTP extension that adds a layer of security to the communication process. It encrypts data transferred between the browser and the server using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security). This makes intercepting and reading data considerably more difficult for hackers. Furthermore, HTTPS authenticates the website's identity by utilizing a digital certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority (CA), ensuring that the user is connected to the proper website. When visiting a website, it is suggested that you utilize HTTPS to keep your information secure.

Some common aspects of HTTP AND HTTPS

Some methods of HTTP and HTTPS

1. GET: This method is used to retrieve information from a server, just like in HTTP. When a user clicks on a link or enters a URL into their browser, the browser sends a GET request to the server to retrieve the corresponding webpage.

2. POST: This method is used to submit data to a server, just like in HTTP. It's commonly used when a user submits a form on a website, such as a login form or a contact form.

3. PUT: This method is used to update an existing resource on the server, just like in HTTP.

4. DELETE: This method is used to delete a resource from the server, just like in HTTP.

5. HEAD: This method is similar to GET, but it only retrieves the headers of a response and not the actual content, just like in HTTP.

6. OPTIONS: This method is used to retrieve the communication options available for a resource, just like in HTTP.

7. CONNECT: This method is used to establish a secure connection to a server, which is unique to HTTPS.

8. TRACE: This method is used to retrieve a diagnostic trace of the request message as it travels through the HTTP infrastructure, just like in HTTP.

THE OSI MODEL

Summary of HTTPS vs HTTP

HTTP and HTTPS are internet technologies for data transport. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the standard protocol for transferring web pages; it facilitates communication between a user's device and a website, but the information may be viewed by anyone on the internet. HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an HTTP extension that provides an extra layer of security to the communication process by encrypting data transmitted between the browser and the server and authenticating the website's identity using SSL or TLS. This makes it considerably more difficult for hackers to intercept and read the data, and it aids in the protection of sensitive data such as passwords and credit card details.