HTTP
Definition
Hypertext Transfer Protocol - the foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web. Like the language browsers and websites use to communicate.
Use Cases
- Cloudflare: Accelerating and protecting websites and APIs delivered over HTTP/HTTPS — Acts as a reverse proxy/CDN in front of customer origins, handling HTTP requests at edge locations, caching content, and applying security controls (e.g., WAF and DDoS mitigation) before forwarding requests to origin servers. (Improved page load performance via caching and reduced origin load, while helping customers mitigate common web attacks and traffic spikes.)
- GitHub: Serving web application traffic and API requests over HTTP/HTTPS — Uses HTTP methods (GET/POST/etc.) for browser interactions and API calls; terminates TLS for HTTPS and routes requests through layered web infrastructure to application services. (Enables reliable access to the GitHub website and APIs for developers worldwide, supporting automation and integrations through standard HTTP-based interfaces.)
- Netflix: Delivering streaming service web experiences and device API communication over HTTP/HTTPS — Uses HTTP/HTTPS for client-to-service communication (web and device apps) and relies on HTTP-based APIs for many service interactions; content delivery commonly involves HTTP-based streaming protocols (e.g., HLS) depending on device/platform. (Supports scalable, internet-friendly delivery to a wide range of devices and networks using widely supported web standards.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
- HTTP sends data in plain text, so it can be read or modified by someone who intercepts the traffic. HTTPS is HTTP plus encryption using TLS (Transport Layer Security), which helps protect data privacy and integrity and verifies the server identity with certificates. For most websites and APIs today, you should use HTTPS.
- When should I use HTTP?
- Use HTTPS for real user traffic, logins, payments, APIs, and anything on the public internet. Plain HTTP is mainly appropriate for limited cases like internal health checks, local development, or private networks where encryption is handled elsewhere. Even then, many organizations standardize on HTTPS everywhere to reduce risk.
- How much does HTTP cost?
- HTTP itself is free to use because it is an open standard. Costs come from the infrastructure that serves HTTP traffic (servers, load balancers, bandwidth/egress, CDNs, API gateways) and operational needs (monitoring, scaling, security). If you use HTTPS, certificates can be free (e.g., via automated certificate authorities) but you may still pay for managed services that handle TLS termination and traffic processing.
Category: networking
Difficulty: basic
Related Terms
See Also