Internet Protocols

1. Network Protocols

Network protocols are a set of rules, conventions, and data structures that dictate how devices exchange data across networks.

Network protocols control all aspects of network communication from sending and receiving messages, to formatting files for different types of messages.

Similar to the way that speaking the same language simplifies communication between two people, network protocols make it possible for devices to interact with each other because of predetermined rules built into devices’ software and hardware.

A network protocol will specify, for example:

• The format of data packets.
• The addressing system.
• Error-checking procedures used.

2. HTTP Protocol

HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted. It also determines what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands.

For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this sends an HTTP command to the Web server asking it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.

The HTTP request contains different types of methods to pick out the desired action from the server.

The most common methods are:

• GET: to retrieve data from the server.
• POST: to submit data to the server.
• PUT: to update data that’s already on the server.
• DELETE: to delete data from the server.