HTTP, the abbreviation of HyperText Transfer Protocol, is the communications protocol for transferring data over web servers on the Internet or on a local network (intranet). It's part of the Internet protocol suite, and it defines the commands and services that are used to send website data. HTTP uses a server-client model. When you access a website, your browser sends a request to the associated web server, and the web server answers with an HTTP status code.
[Last updated in May of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]