Web fundamentals – meaning of "http" in a URL When you type a web address that begins with "http://", the abbreviation "http" expands to which standardized networking term used by web browsers and servers?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Every URL begins with a scheme (such as http, https, ftp) that indicates how a client should communicate with a server. Understanding what “http” stands for clarifies how the web transports documents and APIs across networks.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The focus is on the expansion of the acronym “http”.
  • We assume familiarity with basic web browsing and URLs.
  • We are not asked about security (that would be “https”).


Concept / Approach:
HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. It is an application-layer protocol that defines how requests (GET, POST, etc.) and responses (status codes, headers, bodies) are formatted and exchanged. Originally designed to transfer hypertext documents (HTML) with embedded links, HTTP now carries a wide range of media types and is the foundation for RESTful APIs and modern web services.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the acronym within the URL scheme: “http”.Recall the standardized expansion: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.Select the option matching this exact phrase.


Verification / Alternative check:
Developer documentation and web standards (for example, RFCs) describe HTTP’s methods, status codes (200, 404, 500), and header semantics as part of the protocol.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • HTML Transfer Technology Process: conflates HTML (a markup language) with transport.
  • Hyperspace options: fictitious phrases that do not correspond to web standards.


Common Pitfalls:
Mixing up HTTP (protocol) with HTML (markup). HTML structures content; HTTP moves it between client and server.


Final Answer:
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

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