Why does http use tcp as the transport layer protocol?

Asked By:
5 answer(s)
Answer # 1 #

Deep dive, coder: HTTP over TCP for reliability—retransmits lost packets, flow control avoids overload. UDP's fire-and-forget; HTTP'd need built-in retry (messy). O'Reilly: TCP connections = HTTP backbone. Reddit: TCP ensures order; HTTP structures convo (GET /page). QUIC (UDP-based HTTP/3) emerging, but TCP's king for now. Stack Overflow: TCP/IP and HTTP

[3 Month]
(2)
Answer # 2 #

Network eng here: OSI—HTTP L7, TCP L4. Why TCP? Connection-oriented: 3-way handshake, ACKs, seq nums prevent loss/out-of-order. UDP connectionless—fine for DNS, not docs. GoAnywhere: HTTP stateless but uses TCP streams. SuperUser: Not tied to connection-based, but TCP's props (reliability) seal it. HTTP/3 on QUIC (UDP) tests waters. GoAnywhere: HTTP vs. TCP

[3 Month]
(2)
Answer # 3 #

Quora vibes: TCP 'cause web's picky. No drops, ordered bytes. Invent HTTP on UDP? Reinvent wheel. Netcat proves TCP works raw, but HTTP adds semantics (headers, status). O'Reilly: Rules for TCP use in HTTP. Quora: HTTP vs. TCP

[2 Month]
(1)
Answer # 4 #

Simple: Reliability. TCP delivers all, in order. HTTP needs that for full pages.

[3 Month]
(1)
Answer # 5 #

Tech newbie? Cool—HTTP rides on TCP 'cause TCP's reliable: guarantees delivery, order, error-checks packets. UDP? Fast but drops stuff—no good for web pages (imagine half your cat vid missing). HTTP's app-layer, TCP transport—opens connection, sends request/response. MDN: Needs reliable stream, not datagram. Stack Overflow: TCP taxis data, HTTP directs it. No connection? Chaos. MDN: HTTP Overview

[3 Month]
(1)

More Questions