What's the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?

In the Internet world, HTTP and HTTPS are two common network protocols that have significant differences in terms of data transfer and security. This article will cover the main differences between HTTP and HTTPS to help readers better understand the differences between the two protocols.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a standard protocol used to transfer data between a client and a server, but its data is transmitted in plaintext, that is, the data is not encrypted during transmission, and it is easy to be eavesdropped and tampered with. This means that if you use HTTP to access a website, your personal information and sensitive data could be exposed to potential hackers in transit.

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HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Security Protocol) is a secure version of HTTP. It adds SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption protocols on top of HTTP to ensure that data is encrypted during transmission by using public key encryption and private key decryption. This makes it impossible for hackers to easily steal data, thus protecting users' privacy and information security more effectively.

1. Certificate application and fee

Certificate application and fees are critical steps for website owners using the HTTPS protocol to achieve data security and user trust. The main advantage of HTTPS is its security, but this also requires websites to go through the application and installation process of an SSL certificate. Let's take a deeper look at certificate applications and fees.

First, in order to enable the HTTPS protocol, the website owner needs to apply for a valid certificate from the certification authority for SSL certificates. An SSL certificate is a digital proof that verifies the identity of a website and ensures that data is encrypted during transmission between the client and the server. In this way, the user can confirm their identity when visiting the website, and a green lock icon will be displayed in the browser address bar, conveying to the user that this is a secure website.

For SSL certificates, there are many providers in the market, some of which offer free certificate options. These free certificates are often called "Let's Encrypt" certificates, and they provide basic encryption protection for websites. For small personal websites or start-ups, this is a more affordable option.

However, for important business websites, e-commerce platforms or large enterprise websites, a more secure and trusted SSL certificate is a better choice. These certificates are issued by a reliable certification body and have a higher level of security and credibility. Because there is more auditing and verification process behind these certificates, they usually require a fee. These fees may vary depending on the type of certificate, certification authority and certificate validity period.

Connection mode and port

HTTP and HTTPS use different connection methods and default ports. The default port for HTTP is 80, while the default port for HTTPS is 443. This allows the browser to distinguish which protocol is used when accessing a website. When a user enters a web address in the browser, if it starts with http://, the browser uses HTTP by default. If the address starts with https://, the browser uses HTTPS for access.

Differences in security and functionality

The HTTP protocol is a stateless protocol, and the server does not retain any state information about the client. This means that each request is independent and the server has no way of knowing whether the current request and the previous request came from the same client. The HTTPS protocol is composed of SSL and HTTP protocols, it can establish an encrypted, secure communication channel, and can carry out some encrypted transmission and authentication. This makes the HTTPS protocol more secure and reliable than HTTP, especially for user logins, transactions, and sensitive data transfers.

In summary, HTTP and HTTPS are two widely used network protocols on the Internet, and their main differences are security. HTTP is a protocol for transmitting data in plain text, and HTTPS adds SSL/TLS encryption on the basis of HTTP to ensure the security and privacy of data transmission. Using the HTTPS protocol can effectively protect the privacy and information security of users, especially in the transmission of sensitive data, so more and more websites adopt the HTTPS protocol to provide more secure and reliable services. However, because HTTPS requires a certificate to be applied for and encrypted, the HTTP protocol is simpler and more convenient.