HTTP, HTTPS, and what TLS actually protects

The request-response format, and the precise list of what encryption hides and what it does not.

12 min read · Lesson 6 of 6 · Pro

HTTP is text you could type yourself

An HTTP request is a start line, some headers, a blank line, and an optional body.

Code

GET /courses HTTP/1.1
Host: firsthack.in
User-Agent: curl/8.4.0
Accept: text/html

The response has the same shape.

Code

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
Content-Length: 8421
Cache-Control: max-age=3600

<!doctype html> ...

The blank line after the headers is required — it is how the receiver knows the headers ended and the body begins.

Methods you need: GET reads and must not change anything. POST creates or submits. PUT replaces. PATCH modifies part. DELETE removes.

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