HTTP → Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
HTTPS → Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure.
HTTP and HTTPS are both protocols used for transferring data over the internet. The main difference between them is the level of security they provide:
- HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): It is the standard protocol used for communication between web browsers and web servers. Data sent through HTTP is not encrypted, which means it can be intercepted and read by unauthorized parties, making it less secure.
- HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): It is a secure version of HTTP that uses encryption to protect data during transmission. HTTPS ensures that the data exchanged between the web browser and the server is encrypted, making it much more secure and safeguarding it from potential eavesdropping or tampering.
The primary difference between these two protocols is security.
HTTP is not secure. Data exchanged between your browser & the site you’re visiting is in plain text (unencrypted). If someone intercepts this transmission, they can read and manipulate the data.
HTTPS is a secure protocol. Information transferred is encrypted using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols, providing privacy and integrity of information.
Data transfer for HTTP occurs on port 80, whereas HTTPS utilizes port 443. The browser handles this automatically.
The protocols have different URL structure. A website that uses HTTP starts with the ‘http://’ prefix, while a website that uses HTTPS starts with ‘https://’.
For websites handling sensitive data such as credit card information, HTTPS is a must. Even if a site doesn’t handle sensitive data, the extra security with HTTPS provides trust and credibility to users.
SEO is often a very important area of business, for this, HTTPS is the way to go. Not using HTTPS will significantly hurt ranking as it is an important ranking factor.
Summary:
In summary, HTTPS is the preferred choice for websites that handle sensitive information, such as login credentials, financial details, or personal data, as it provides an additional layer of security compared to HTTP.
The internet uses the HTTP and HTTPS protocols to move data around. However, HTTPS is a secure protocol that offers identification, privacy, and data integrity.
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