We're sorry but this app doesn't work properly without JavaScript enabled. Please enable it to continue.

This lesson's interactive features are locked, please to keep using them

The RFCs

To be clear, here at TheStartup we will build HTTP/1.1.

Up-to-date technology at a serious software org? Impossible.

To understand HTTP it may behoove you to become familiar with the RFCs ("requests for comment"). At the moment, there are several key RFCs for HTTP/1.1:

  • RFC 7231 – Widely referenced, but obsoleted by RFC 9110.
  • RFC 9112 – Easier to read than RFC 7231, relies on understanding from RFC 9110.
  • RFC 9110 – Covers HTTP "semantics."
  • RFC 2616 – Deprecated by RFC 7231.

We will be referring to 9110 and 9112 as they have better separation of information. 7231 can be a bit verbose whereas 9112 is much more to the point, but makes a lot of assumptions that you understand a decent amount of 9110.