HTTP Full Form

Hypertext Transfer Protocol is the HTTP in full form in the computer. In the World Wide Web, HTTP  is considered to be the base standard for data communication. In other words, the HyperText Transfer Protocol is the standard foundation for web browsing that enables the exchange of data via the internet. It is a request-and-response protocol for the application layer in the computing model of the client-server. It is included in the framework of the Internet Protocol Suite design.

Webpages containing hypertexts comprise hyperlinks to other web resources and a user can easily navigate to the other webpages by simply clicking on the hypertexts. From the above information, it can be clearly concluded that HTTP's full form in computers is Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

How was HTTP Developed?

Now, after having read the HTTP full form in the computer, let us find how HTTP was developed. Tim Berners Lee had initiated the development and documentation process of HTTP, in 1989. The World Wide Web Consortium and the Internet Engineering Task Force jointly created the first HTTP requests for comments while the IETF had worked on it later. In 1997, the first version of hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP full form), HTTP/1 was officially documented.  Around 30 percent of the websites across the globe support HTTP/1. In 2015, the second version of the hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP/2  was published. Almost all web browsers support HTTP/2, virtually. It is preferred in terms of efficiency and about 50 percent of the worldwide websites support this version of the hypertext transfer protocol. With the extension of Application Layer Protocol Negotiation, and TLS 1.2, the main web servers support HTTP/2 (here, Hypertext Transfer Protocol is the HTTP long form). The third version of the hypertext transfer protocol is proposed to be HTTP/3. This version uses a QUIC connection as the transport protocol. HTTP/3 is supported by web browsers on mobiles as well as desktops. It does not require discarding the important features of HTTP/1 or HTTP/2. HTTP/3 can be established for the stable versions of Safari, and Firefox. Also, support for this version of hypertext transfer protocol has been added to Google Chrome and Cloudflare, in 2019.  

How Does Hypertext Transfer Protocol Function?

Till here, we have covered, “what is the full form of HTTP” and how it was developed. Now, let us understand the functioning of HTTP.  

The application protocol, HTTP, is for data communication over the World Wide Web, dedicated to hypermedia information systems that are characteristically collaborative and distributed. It was designed with HTML so as to develop a text-based web browser. It imparts an interactive feature to the web browser, that is, users can send requests and receive a response and interact with various web resources. It is a protocol for a client-server model of computing. 

For instance, a web browser can be considered as the client whereas any application being executed on a computing device that hosts a website can be considered as the server. An HTTP request is sent by the client to the server. The server, on the other hand, fetches the specific resources being requested by the client. The server may fetch content like HTML files, may perform various functions for the client, and return the specific resources in the form of a response message. The request completion status and the content of the request are fetched in the response message body. 

Mostly, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP full form in networking) clients devise the TCP connections (Transmission Control Protocol) for web server communication. 

Now that we have covered “what is the full form of HTTP in computer”, how it was developed and how it is basically designed to function, let us go through the request-response methods in HTTP. Almost every HTTP server uses specific request methods like HEAD, and GET. Some of the request methods devised by HTTP servers to execute various tasks are listed below.

• HEAD: this request method fetches a specific resource exclusive of the body. 

• GET: this request method fetches an entire resource.

• PUT: This request method is devised to replace the presentation of a target web resource. Also, the PUT request is used to develop a new resource.        

• OPTIONS: this request method provides a user with the HTTP methods available for any particular URL.

• POST: this request adds data, messages, and other content, under a pre-existing resource, on any new page.  

• TRACE: this request method lists down the alterations done to a pre-existing web resource. 

• PATCH: This request method is used to alter a web resource, partially. 

• DELETE: This request method is utilized to delete a web resource. 

• CONNECT: this request method is used to convert a specific request connection into a clear TCP/IP tunnel.

Let us understand Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP full form in English) in simple words. When a user visits any website, the files and webpages can be navigated and accessed either through HTTP or through HTTPS. Any text that has a link (hidden or visible) within it, is categorized as hypertext. Mostly, the hypertexts have a text colour different from that of the rest of the text on a webpage. When not highlighted in different text colour, a user can figure out if a word is a hypertext by clicking on it. If the user is redirected to another webpage on clicking on the word, it is a hypertext.

What Are The Security Issues Related to HTTP?

There are several HTTP-based cyber attacks that can compromise the security of web browsing such as the plaintext credentials sent through any request. Among the other security risks, which surface due to misconfigurations in the protocol, are HTTP request smuggling, cross-site scripting (XSS). Through the normal traffic on an HTTP webpage, cyber attackers can access exfiltrated information and command-control communication beyond the defences. To a little respite from the cyber attacks, another version of HTTP, known as HTTPS has been invented. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure abbreviated as HTTPS is an HTTP connection fixed on SSL/TLS. It is designed with encryptions to serve security purposes.