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Ayo Ashiru
Ayo Ashiru

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Understanding HTTP: The Backbone of Today’s Internet

#networking #backend #beginners #webdev

If you’ve ever built anything for the web either frontend, backend, APIs, mobile apps or even blockchain dApps, you’ve already interacted with HTTP. It’s the invisible glue that allows devices to talk to each other over the internet.

This is my first article in a while and I’m excited to get back to writing again. Work and projects kept me away for a bit but I’m restarting with one of the most fundamental topics in backend development

In this article, we’ll break down what HTTP really is, how it works, why it’s stateless and how its versions evolved from HTTP/0.9 all the way to HTTP/3.

What is HTTP?

HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is a communication protocol used for transferring data between a client (usually the browser) and a server.

Every time you open a website, submit a form, fetch API data or load images, HTTP is working behind the scenes.

Why is HTTP Important in Today’s Internet?

The modern web relies heavily on HTTP for:

  • Web pages (HTML, CSS, JS)
  • REST APIs
  • GraphQL APIs
  • Mobile app → server communication
  • Blockchain explorers and RPC endpoints
  • IoT device communication HTTP powers nearly everything connected to the internet.

The Client–Server Model

HTTP follows the client–server architecture, which simply means:

  • Client → Makes requests
  • Server → Sends responses

Examples:

  • Browser requesting the LinkedIn homepage
  • Postman making an API call
  • Your React frontend hitting a Node.js backend

Example HTTP request format 

GET /api/users HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Accept: application/json
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This simple structure defines:

  • The method (GET)
  • The path (/api/users)
  • The protocol version (HTTP/1.1)
  • Additional metadata (Accept, Host, etc.)

HTTP is Stateless — What Does That Mean?

HTTP does not remember anything between two requests i.e every request stands alone.
This means if you send 10 HTTP requests, the server processes them as if you’re a new user each time.

Example:
If you send 10 requests, the server treats them as if it’s meeting you for the first time every time.

Why is this useful?

  • Scalability
  • Simplicity
  • No need for the server to store user state The Problem Websites need to remember users (authentication, shopping carts, sessions).

How the Web Solves This

  • Cookies
  • Sessions
  • JWT tokens
  • LocalStorage These tools add state on top of a stateless protocol.

Alternatives to HTTP

Although HTTP dominates the web, other communication protocols exist:

  1. WebSockets
    Full-duplex communication (both sides can send data anytime).
    Used for chats, real-time dashboards, crypto price tickers.

  2. gRPC
    High-performance protocol built on HTTP/2.
    Used in microservices and backend-to-backend communication.

  3. MQTT
    Lightweight protocol for IoT devices.

  4. FTP / SFTP
    Designed for file transfer.
    But for most web apps, browsers and APIs, HTTP remains the king.

Evolution of HTTP(From 0.9 → 3.0)

HTTP/0.9 — The Beginning (1991)

  • Only supported GET
  • Only transferred raw HTML
  • No headers, no status codes Super basic, but it started the web revolution.

HTTP/1.0 — More Capabilities (1996)

  • Added headers
  • Added status codes
  • Introduced new methods (POST, HEAD) But… connections closed after each request (slow!)

HTTP/1.1 — The Workhorse (1997)

  • Persistent connections (keep-alive)
  • Pipelining (send multiple requests)
  • Better caching
  • Chunked responses Most websites still rely on it today.

HTTP/2 — Faster and More Efficient (2015)

  • Binary protocol (not text-based)
  • Multiplexing: multiple requests over same connection
  • Header compression
  • Server push Great for modern APIs and performance-heavy apps.

HTTP/3 — The Future (2020+)

  • Reduced latency
  • Handles poor network conditions better
  • Faster page loads
  • Built for mobile and global traffic Most modern browsers & CDNs already support HTTP/3.

evolution and comparison of HTTP

Conclusion

HTTP is one of the most fundamental technologies powering the internet.
Whether you're building frontend interfaces, backend APIs, mobile apps, cloud services or even blockchain-based systems, you are relying on HTTP every single day.

Understanding how HTTP works, why it’s stateless and how it evolved gives you a strong foundation as a backend or full-stack engineer.

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