http
uses TCP/IP
- client initiates TCP connection (creates socket) to server, port 80
- server accepts TCP connection from client
- http messages exchanged between browser & web server
- tcp connection closed
- server maintains no info about past client request (as part of http protocol)
types
non-persistent http
at most 1 object sent over TCP, connection then closed. Downloading multiple object required multiple connections.
persistent http
multiple objects can be sent over a single tcp connection between client, server
Structure
- status line
- headers
- data
