What Is 'HTTP' Protocol, and How Does It Affect Me?

Question: What Exactly Is 'Computer Protocol HTTP'? How Do These Protocols Affect Me?

Answer: a computer 'protocol' is a set of invisible computer rules that govern how an internet document gets transmitted to your screen. These dozens of programmatic rules work in the background in the same way a bank employs staff procedures to keep your money safe. They affect you invisibly as governing rules of the Internet and the Web.

A document's internet protocol is described by the first several letters in your browser's address bar, ending in the three characters '://'. The most common protocol you will see is http:// for a regular hypertext page. The second most common protocol you will see is https://, for hypertext pages that are secured against hackers. Examples of internet computer protocols:

http Hypertext Transfer Protocol
https Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secured
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
ftp File Transfer Protocol
IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol
POP Post Office Protocol
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
telnet Terminal Network protocol
UDP User Datagram Protocol
nntp Network News Transfer Protocol
MAC Media Access Control protocol
DNS Domain Name System protocol
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

How Do Computer Protocols Affect My Web Surfing?
While computer protocols can be very cryptic and technical for programmers and administrators, protocols are really just FYI knowledge for most users. As long as you are aware of the 'http' and 'https' at the beginning of the address, and can type the correct address after the ://, then computer protocols should be nothing more than a curiosity of daily life.

If you want to learn more about computer protocols, try Bradley Mitchell's technical articles here.

Popular Articles at About.com: