HTTP Request Format

Now that you've seen a few sample HTTP requests using telnet, 0:00 I'd like to show you the overall format of an HTTP request 0:04 as stated in the specifications which I've linked to in the teacher's notes. 0:08 Here's how an HTTP request needs to look. 0:13 HTTP request begin with request line. 0:17 This starts with what's called the request method, get or post. 0:20 Know that there are other request methods available on HTTP. 0:25 They're outside the scope of this course but 0:28 I've linked to them in case you're curious. 0:29 In general the get request method is used when you want to 0:32 view a resource on the server without making any changes. 0:36 And post request are used for actually making a change or 0:40 update to the listed resource. 0:44 We'll look at post request later in the course. 0:47 Speaking of the resource, that's what's listed next, the URI, or 0:50 again, Uniform Resource Identifier. 0:54 If you want to view the root, or 0:58 what's typically the home page, you'll use a single slash here. 0:59 Finally, HTTP is listed as the protocol in use followed by a slash and 1:04 ending with the version of HTTP, currently 1.1. 1:09 As a side note and heads up, HTTP/2 is on the way. 1:13 Don't worry though, 1:17 HTTP/2 won't change any of the stuff we're discussing in this course. 1:17 And you'll be able to continue using HTTP/1.1 likely for many years to come. 1:22 For more info on HTTP/2, check the teacher's notes. 1:28 The next line begins with what's called the header section of the request. 1:32 This communicates information related to the request being made, and 1:35 can include all sorts of info. 1:39 In this example, you see it includes the host which we've discussed. 1:42 The user agent which identifies the exact device making the request 1:45 I've listed telnet here and 1:49 accept language which tells the server which language we prefer for the response. 1:51 There are lots of other headers available and 1:57 we'll see a bunch more throughout the best of the course. 1:59 Following the headers is a blank line. 2:02 Then concluding the request, is the request body, or 2:04 what's frequently called the payload. 2:08 If the headers refer to the information related to the request, 2:10 the payload refers to the data being transferred in the request, if any. 2:14 As we'll see, data needs to be transferred when the purpose of the request 2:19 is to change a resource on the server. 2:23 For example, consider the scenario of using a form to 2:25 edit the first name of a contact saved in your address book online. 2:28 When you submit those changes, 2:33 a post request is sent containing the new first name in the payload. 2:35 In general, the exact changes to be made on the server 2:41 will be contained in the payload of the post request. 2:44 You won't see a payload in the get request. 2:48 And there you have it, the format for any HTTP request. 2:51 With that said, 2:55 let's turn to the other side of this web conversation, the response. 2:57