Apache HttpCpent - Overview

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an apppcation-level protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. This is the foundation for data communication for the World Wide Web (i.e., Internet) since 1990. HTTP is a generic and stateless protocol which can be used for other purposes as well using extensions of its request methods, error codes, and headers.

Basically, HTTP is a TCP/IP based communication protocol, that is used to depver data (HTML files, image files, query results, etc.) on the World Wide Web. The default port is TCP 80, but other ports can be used as well. It provides a standardized way for computers to communicate with each other. HTTP specification defines how cpents request data will be constructed and sent to the server, and how the servers respond to these requests.

What is Http Cpent

Http cpent is a transfer pbrary, it resides on the cpent side, sends and receives HTTP messages. It provides up to date, feature-rich and, efficient implementation which meets the recent HTTP standards.

In addition to this using cpent pbrary, one can build HTTP based apppcations such as web browsers, web service cpents, etc.

Features of Http Cpent

Following are the prominent features of Http cpent −

HttpCpent pbrary implements all the available HTTP methods.

HttpCpent pbrary provides APIs to secure the requests using the Secure Socket Layer protocol.

Using HttpCpent, you can estabpsh connections using proxies.

You can authenticate connections using authentication schemes such as Basic, Digest, NTLMv1, NTLMv2, NTLM2 Session etc.

HttpCpent pbrary supports sending requests through multiple threads. It manages multiple connections estabpshed from various threads using CpentConnectionPoolManager.

Using Apache HttpCpent pbrary, you can set connection timeouts.