HTTP, URL and Methods: A Beginner's Guide 🌐
Published: 2023-05-30 21:46:09


If you are new to web development, you might have heard some terms like HTTP, URL and GET/POST methods. But what do they mean and how do they work? In this article, I will explain these concepts in a simple and easy way. Let's get started! 🚀

## What is HTTP? 🔗

HTTP stands for **Hypertext Transfer Protocol**. It is a set of rules that defines how web browsers and web servers communicate with each other. Hypertext is a way of organizing information that allows you to link different documents or resources together. For example, when you click on a link on a web page, you are following a hypertext reference to another web page.

HTTP is a **transfer protocol**, which means it specifies how data is transferred from one point to another. HTTP uses a **client-server** model, where the client (usually a web browser) requests data from the server (usually a web server) and the server responds with data or an error message.

HTTP is also a **stateless protocol**, which means that each request and response are independent and do not remember any previous interactions. This makes HTTP simple and efficient, but also requires some mechanisms to maintain state information, such as cookies or sessions.

## What is URL? 📍

URL stands for **Uniform Resource Locator**. It is a way of identifying and locating a resource on the web. A resource can be anything that can be accessed through the web, such as a web page, an image, a video, a file, etc.

A URL consists of different components that provide information about the resource and how to access it. Here are the main components of a URL:

- **Scheme**: This indicates the protocol used to access the resource. For example, `http` or `https`.
- **Host**: This specifies the domain name or IP address of the server that hosts the resource. For example, `www.hashnode.com` or `172.217.160.78`.
- **Port**: This is an optional component that indicates the port number used to connect to the server. If not specified, the default port for the scheme is used. For example, `80` for `http` or `443` for `https`.
- **Path**: This identifies the specific resource on the server. It usually consists of a series of segments separated by slashes (`/`). For example, `/blog/http-url-and-methods-a-beginners-guide`.
- **Query**: This is an optional component that provides additional parameters or information to the server. It usually consists of a series of key-value pairs separated by ampersands (`&`) and preceded by a question mark (`?`). For example, `?page=2&sort=asc`.
- **Fragment**: This is an optional component that identifies a specific part or section of the resource. It usually consists of an identifier preceded by a hash sign (`#`). For example, `#introduction`.

Here is an example of a URL with all its components:

```
https://www.hashnode.com/blog/http-url-and-methods-a-beginners-guide?page=2&sort=asc#introduction
```

## What are GET and POST methods? 📩

GET and POST are two of the most common methods used in HTTP requests and responses. A method indicates the type of action or operation that the client wants to perform on the server.

The GET method is used to **retrieve** data from the server. The data is usually encoded in the URL query component. The GET method is safe and idempotent, which means that it does not change the state of the server and can be repeated without any side effects.

The POST method is used to **send** data to the server. The data is usually encoded in the request body. The POST method is neither safe nor idempotent, which means that it can change the state of the server and may have different effects if repeated.

Here are some differences between GET and POST methods:

| GET | POST |
| --- | ---- |
| Used to retrieve data | Used to send data |
| Data encoded in URL query | Data encoded in request body |
| Safe and idempotent | Neither safe nor idempotent |
| Limited by URL length | No limit on data size |
| Can be cached by browsers | Cannot be cached by browsers |
| Can be bookmarked by users | Cannot be bookmarked by users |

## Conclusion 🎉

In this article, we learned about some basic concepts of web development: HTTP, URL and GET/POST methods. We learned what they mean, how they work and how they differ from each other. I hope you found this article helpful and informative.