Http and HTTPS difference here. We will explain what the http protocol is, what http is on the computer, and the difference between http and HTTPS.

In the age of technology, we perform almost all our activities online. We used to perform all the transactions online for shopping, working, and studying. 

So, at this time, people are focusing not only on internet facilities but also security. People search for the best and most secure online sites to make connections and transactions more secure. Therefore, this is the post where we learn about http and HTTPS differences which is necessary to know by all internet users. 

Http and Https Difference 

If we browse any website on our device, whether a computer, laptop, or mobile phone, then before the website’s domain name or address bar, we can find one default format called http and HTTPS. But do you know which is the best one? A more secure and trusted format in internet websites depends upon the use of http and HTTPS before the website or blog domain name. 

What is HTTP?

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) is the protocol that is used for data transfer. One can use http to transfer data on the internet, allowing you to communicate with other websites. The http protocol is the most used for transferring data and information worldwide. Although it is the most used protocol, the documents and information shared are not secure compared to HTTPS. 

The main reason for not being data secure in the http protocol is data (hypertext) shared in the http protocol are sent in a plain text form which makes the hackers easy to crack out and may steal the shared data. When you enter any website or domain name, it automatically adds a protocol used in that domain, website, or blog. 

For example, if you enter http://www.example.com, it connects that website to the http protocol. When you tap or click near the address of the website then, it tells you that the connection is not secure. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is used by http over port 80 to transfer the data over the web.

Http protocol

Http protocol is used by both client and server both, which allows for communication in websites and can exchange the hypertext in a plain text form. When a client or user sends a request to the Http server, the server replies to the request quickly with the required data after a TCP handshake. The response or reply message after the request may contain status information like “http/1.1 200 OK.” 

When browsing any website on a computer or mobile, the browser shows a message like “your connection to this site is not secure.” It also says, “Attackers might be able to see the images you’re looking at on this site and trick you by modifying them.” So, from above, it is clear that using a website or blog with an http protocol is not secure. It is not secure as the HTTP protocol because, in the http protocol, attackers can crack and monitor our activities on that website. Attackers may easily steal our useful data like bank account details, different online accounts (Gmail, Facebook), etc., in the website with the http:// protocol. HTTP Works at the Application Layer, where all the requested information can access easily by the mediator between sender and receiver. All the website having http:// protocol works under nonencryption, which makes the hypertext transfer in the website unsecure. While transferring the data on the website with the http protocol, attackers can steal it or copy out the data easily due to the lack of security features in the http protocol.

What is hypertext transfer protocol?

Http or Hypertext protocol is the old or classic method used in the website for transferring hypertext worldwide. Websites or blogs using the http protocol are also found these days, although it is not more secure than the HTTPS protocol. Websites or blogs use http protocols based on education, movie downloading, and internet forums websites.

The main reason why all the websites are not HTTPS is SSL certificates. To run any website in HTTPS protocol, they must use an SSL Certificate. In the absence of SSL certificates, the website can’t get secure. So, all the websites with http protocols are not secure because they lack ‘S‘ means secure.

What is HTTPS?

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a secured or advanced form of http protocol. It is a protocol that works under an SSL certificate. SSL certificate stands for Secure Socket Layer. Https protocol is also called Http over TLS and Http over SSL. Http over TLS stands for using Http protocol through Transport Layer Security. SSL certificate is based on the RSA algorithm. We can also find the difference between SSL and HTTPS when we type HTTPS:// before any website domain name, the browser requests to connect the domain over the HTTPS protocol. We may have noticed that we can see a small lock icon in front or near the website URL. So, when we tap on that, it displays a message like, “Connection is secure; your information (for example, passwords or credit card numbers) is private when it is sent to this site.” 

Secure websites and SSL certificates

       Https protocol transfers the data in encrypted form, which make the data more secure to send and receive on the internet. Https protocol uses a public key for decrypting the encrypted data. 

At the same time, the private key is used for encrypting the data. Https protocol is more secure as compared to http protocol. Due to its decrypting features to any transferred documents, it is hard to crack out the documents to an attacker.

All the data are transferred in encrypted form in HTTPS protocol so hackers can’t hack it. The website HTTP protocol communicates and sends personal data and information. We can send and fill out the personal data and information on the HTTP website with trust because it has granted an SSL certificate. HTTPS protocol is used in online transactions websites, banking websites, ecommerce websites, government websites, and social websites. All the website having SSL certificate starts with https://www.example.com.

Http and Https difference

If we talk about the difference between http and HTTPS protocols, 

Base	Http	Https
Format	Use http:// before domain name	Use https:// before domain name
Certificate	No any certificates	Use SSL certificates
Operating	On Application Layer	Transport Layer
Security	Not secure	Secure
Encryption	No	Yes
Transfer Method	Hypertext Method	Encryption Method
Port	Use Proxy Server Port 80	Use Proxy Server SSL Protected Port 443
Sector of websites	Basically, used in movies downloading, internet forums and education websites.	Basically, and compulsory used in ecommerce websites, online banking etc.
Example	http://www.example.com	https://example.com

Difference between http and HTTPS in details

Format Used

All the websites having http protocol have a default format in a web address like http://merokhabar.com. Similarly, websites having HTTPS protocol have a default format in a web address like https://merokhabar.com. We can find the difference between http and HTTPS based on the format used. 

Certificate

Websites and blogs having SSL certificates have HTTPS protocol in their web address. On the other hand, websites and blogs not having SSL certificates have an http protocol. It means that http doesn’t have any certificate, but HTTPS has one certificate to keep the connection secure, called an SSL certificate.

Operating

Another factor causing http and HTTPS differences is the operating nature. The website using the http protocol is operated or works on the application layer to transfer the data throughout the web. Similarly, websites using HTTPS protocol are operated on the Transport layer to transfer data throughout the web.

Security

Another main difference between http and HTTPS is based on security. It is treated that a website with HTTPS protocol is more secure than a website with (using) http protocol. This is because the HTTP protocol has an SSL certificate. In HTTP, there is the use of ‘S’ means Secure. Privacy is the priority, so be safe while using the internet. 

Encryption

All the data transferred, sent, and received on the HTTPS website are in encrypted form. Encrypted data are more secure on the internet while sending and receiving because encrypted data is difficult to crack by attackers. We can say that it is quite impossible to hack the data of a website having HTTPS protocols. On the other hand, a website with http protocols uses the hypertext method for sending and receiving the data on the internet, which can be hacked by hackers easily compared to HTTPS. So, the http and HTTPS difference is clear that http is less secure for transferring the data because it uses the hypertext method.

Port Number

Website having http protocol use proxy server port 80 whereas HTTPS protocol support Proxy server port 443 based on SSL protection.

Conclusion

Both protocols are equally important to the website. Both (http and HTTPS) protocols are used on websites for transferring, sharing, and receiving data on the internet. The above difference between http and HTTPS makes it clear that HTTPS protocol in the website is more secure because it owns an SSL certificate which secures the website. SSL certificates secure the information and data on that website by using them in decrypt form. So, we can say that security is the main reason for the http and HTTPS difference. Https protocol is mostly used in Ecommerce websites, banking and financing websites, and websites related to business and online selling.

       HTTPS protocol in the website is more beneficial and secure than the http protocol. From my side, I also recommend to all the readers to use a website having HTTPS protocol for filling out the personal and any information like Gmail account details, Facebook account details, bank, ATM, etc.