HyperText Transfer Protocol, the foundational communication protocol used for transmitting web pages and data across the World Wide Web. A set of rules that governs how web browsers and servers exchange information.
Acronym created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 from 'HyperText Transfer Protocol.' 'Hypertext' was coined by Ted Nelson in 1963, combining 'hyper-' (beyond) with 'text' to describe non-linear, interconnected documents.
HTTP was originally designed to be stateless, meaning each request stands alone without memory of previous interactions - like having a conversation where you forget everything after each sentence. This seemingly limiting design actually made the web incredibly scalable and robust.
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