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HTTP Overview

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol powers the web. Here's how it works.

What is HTTP?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is how clients and servers talk to each other on the web. When you load a page, click a link, or call an API, you're making HTTP requests. Each request asks for something (a resource, an action); the server responds with status and data.

Request / response lifecycle

Every HTTP exchange follows the same pattern:

  1. Client sends a request (method, URL, headers, optional body)
  2. Server processes the request
  3. Server sends a response (status code, headers, optional body)
  4. Client handles the response

Headers vs body

Headers are metadata: content type, auth tokens, caching hints. They appear as key-value pairs. The body is the payload—JSON, XML, form data—sent with POST, PUT, PATCH. GET requests typically have no body; the URL and query params carry the input.

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