What Is The Difference Between HTTP and HTTPS?

Introduction

A website or web server providing security of data transmission is a way of saying that the clients can trust them. There will be no threat to using personal information. The websites are showing that they have taken an extra step to ensure their client’s satisfaction. They come out as more authentic and trustworthy. 

SEO is all about potential clients’ satisfaction and becoming a trusted site. To become trustworthy, having a secure website is also included in SEO. With no privacy concerns, people will not be interested in certain platforms. Among many SEO agencies, there is some best technical SEO service provider who takes care of the HTTP and HTTPS protocols to provide secure browsing experience to the users.

What is HTTP?

The full form of HTTP is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, and Tim Berners-Lee created it in 1989. It is a set of rules which regulates the transmission of information on the World Wide Web. It provides rules and regulations for servers and web browsers to communicate. 

When you use HTTP:// before the domain, it tells the browser to connect through HTTP protocol. It is a protocol in the application layer and uses TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).

In the client-server computing model, HTTP functions as a request-response protocol. For example, a web browser is a client, and a website is a server. The client, web browser, requests information to the server using HTTP. The web server then sends a response containing completion status or other content that the client asked for. 

Advantages of HTTP

  • HTTP can be accessed easily. HTTP pages are stored in computer and internet caches. As a result, you will get quick response through HTTP.
  • HTTP protocol can be used with other protocols of the internet. You can use other internet or network protocols with HTTP.
  • HTTP allows cross-platform porting. It is platform-independent. 
  • It does not require any runtime support
  • Global application is possible through HTTP
  • It can run through firewalls
  • HTTP is not connection-oriented 
  • There is no overhead for creating and maintaining session state or information

Disadvantages of HTTP

  • There is no privacy for any content
  • Data integrity does not exist. Anyone can change data 
  • No privacy or security. Anyone can get a username or password

What is HTTPS?

The expansion of HTTPS is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secured. It is built over HTTP and is the secure and advanced version of it.  This protocol is widely used and used for secure communication over a computer network.

HTTPS also uses TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), but it is encrypted with TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Sockets Layer).  This protocol authenticates the website server and ensures privacy for exchanged data while transmitting. When HTTPS:// is used before a domain address, the browser understands that HTTPS protocol is being used.

This protocol protects data transmission from man-in-the-middle attacks, eavesdropping, or data tampering. The encryption for HTTPS was an expensive process; thus, only payment transaction services or secured corporate information systems used this protocol. However, in 2016 it became more accessible, and now almost all websites use HTTPS for data transmission. 

Advantages of HTTPS

  • Sites redirect automatically 
  • Even when you type HTTP, sites with HTTPS will redirect to HTTPS
  • Online transaction is secure
  • SSL technology protects user information
  • Authenticated by SSL certificates 
  • More trustworthy then HTTP 

Disadvantages of HTTPS

  • SSL can only encrypt the data during transmission
  • HTTPS cannot encrypt data of the web browser or clear it
  • HTTPS cannot protect confidential information from the pages on the browser cache
  • It increases network overhead
  • It increases computational overhead 

Difference Between HTTP and HTTPS 

We have already discussed both HTTP and HTTPS above in short. So we have already found some differences between these two. However, this chart shows a comparison between HTTP and HTTPS.

HTTP HTTPS
Name The full name of this protocol is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The full name of this protocol is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure.
Port By default, it uses port 80 By default, it uses port 443
Security There is no security for this protocol. The data transferred through HTTP is vulnerable. The data can easily be hacked. As the name suggests, this protocol is more secure. It protects confidential data or critical information from being hacked or other outsider attacks.
Protocol HTTP uses TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) to transmit data.  HTTPS has no separate protocol for data transmission. It works like HTTP with security.
Layer HTTP operates in the application layer HTTPS operates in the transport layer
Security Protocol Has no protocol for securing the data that are being transmitted. HTTPS uses TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to secure data during transmission. 
Encryption No encryption is used while transmitting data HTTPS uses encryption while transmitting data through the network 
URL HTTP URL starts with HTTP:// HTTPS URL starts with HTTPS://
Validation No validation is required from any side. Domains or websites need to get an SSL Certificate to get validated.
Vulnerability  Data transmitted through this protocol is vulnerable as there is no protection. It can easily be hacked or changed. Transmission is secured. Data transmitted through this protocol is hard to hack or change.
Search Ranking HTTP has no benefit in search ranking Websites using HTTPS are more trustworthy and authentic, so it helps improve search ranking.
Scrambling  HTTP does not scramble data before transmitting. Therefore, it has a higher chance of getting hacked. HTTPS scrambles the data into pieces before transmitting. At the receiver end, the data is again unscrambled to form the entire message. This operation ensures the security of transmitting data.
Use  Websites that do not require security are good for using HTTP. The blog is a good example where people will only visit to read. Websites that require private information from users use HTTPS protocol. For example, e-commerce sites need HTTPS to put personal information and credit card numbers on the website.
Speed Very fast as there is nothing much apart from transferring data. Slower than HTTP. It goes through some security processes that slow down the transmission a little. 

Conclusion  

Like everything else, the internet has two sides. It came as a blessing for communication and knowledge. However, it also has a dark side where immoral people or organizations are luring users to fall into their traps. With the increasing number of decent users, the dark side is enlarging too. Hence secure browsing and data transmission have become mandatory in most cases.