HTTP & APIs
HTTP
HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the standardized language of the web that browsers and servers use to request and send data.
Diagram
Browser (Client) Server
───────────────── ─────────────────
│ GET /about │──────▶ │ Routing Table │
│ Host: site.co │ │ /about → HTML │
└───────────────── └───────┬────────
│
───────────────── ▼
│ 200 OK │◀────── HTML content
│ <html>...</h> │ Content-Type: text/html
└─────────────────In Depth
HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. It is the baseline agreement and collection of rules that defines how a web browser or mobile client requests files (like HTML, JSON, or images) and how a remote server returns them.
⚠️ Common Misconception
HTTP is not just for web browsers. Mobile apps, desktop applications, microservices, and smart IoT devices all utilize HTTP to send and receive structured data.
🌍 Real World Usage
Every search, page navigation, and API fetch runs over HTTP. It is the core communication medium of the modern internet.
Related Terms