noun

HTTP

AYCH-tee-tee-PEE

HTTP (noun) means the set of rules browsers and servers follow to exchange web pages and other files: the browser sends a request, the server sends back a response along with a status code saying what happened. Example: “Every time you open a page your browser makes dozens of HTTP requests.”

noun

technical The set of rules browsers and servers follow to exchange web pages and other files: the browser sends a request, the server sends back a response along with a status code saying what happened.

"Every time you open a page your browser makes dozens of HTTP requests."

"A 404 is an HTTP status code meaning the server could not find what was asked for."

How to Use HTTP

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHTTP is the language browsers and websites use to pass pages back and forth.

When to use it

Appears at the start of web addresses as http://, though modern browsers usually hide it. Take "an" before it in speech: "an HTTP request".

Memory tip

HTTP describes the conversation, not the content. The same protocol carries pages, images, form submissions and API responses.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

HTTPS → FTP → TCP URL →

Common pairings

HTTP request HTTP response HTTP status code HTTP header over HTTP

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Test yourself on “HTTP” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Every time you open a page your browser makes dozens of _____ requests.

Etymology

An initialism of hypertext transfer protocol. It was devised by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN around 1990 alongside HTML and the first web browser.

Origin: English

Synonyms

View more →

hypertext transfer protocol web protocol

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

They follow the same rules for requests and responses, but HTTPS encrypts the traffic in transit and verifies the site's certificate. With plain HTTP, anyone able to observe the connection can read what is being sent.

What is an HTTP status code?

It is a three-digit number the server sends back to say how the request went. Codes in the 200s mean success, 300s mean the resource has moved, 400s mean a problem with the request such as 404 not found, and 500s mean the server itself failed.

Is HTTP the same as the internet?

No. The internet is the underlying network; HTTP is one protocol running on it, the one used for the web. Email, file transfer and video calls use different protocols over the same network.