Hypertext Transfer Protocol facts for kids

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (or HTTP) is a set of rules that computers use to talk to each other. It helps your web browser (like Chrome or Firefox) send and receive webpages and files on the internet.

HTTP was created by Tim Berners-Lee, who also invented the World Wide Web. Today, the W3C helps manage and update it. The most common version you'll find is HTTP 1.1.

When you visit a website, your computer acts as a "user agent." It connects to a "server," which is another computer that stores the website's files. To find the server, your computer uses a special address called a URL (like www.example.com). You'll often see http:// at the start of these addresses. HTTP usually uses a specific "door" on the server called port 80 to communicate.

What is HTTPS?

There's also a safer version of HTTP called HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). You'll know it by https:// at the beginning of a URL.

HTTPS is super important because it encrypts (scrambles) all the information sent between your computer and the website. This means if someone tries to snoop on your connection, they won't be able to understand your private details. That's why HTTPS is used on websites where you enter sensitive information, like when you're shopping online or logging into your bank. HTTPS uses a different "door" on the server, port 443, for this secure communication.

How HTTP Requests Work

When your web browser wants to see a webpage, it sends a "request message" to the server. Think of it like asking the server for something specific.

A request message usually includes:

• A request line: This tells the server what you want. For example, GET /images/logo.gif HTTP/1.1 means "Please give me the file named logo.gif from the /images folder."
• Headers: These are like extra notes that give the server more information. For instance, Accept-Language: en tells the server you prefer content in English.
• An empty line.
• Sometimes, an optional message body: This might contain information you're sending to the server, like details from a form you filled out.

All these parts of the request message have a specific format so the server can understand them correctly.

Images for kids

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  Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

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  This image shows an HTTP request and the server's response.

See also

In Spanish: Protocolo de transferencia de hipertexto para niños