HTTP and HTTPS in practice.
WHAT HAPPENS
Your browser resolves the name Opens a connection, usually encrypted Requests a resource The server responds with content or a status
WHAT A STATUS CODE IS
A number indicating the outcome.
Success, redirection, a client error, or a server error.
WHAT THE CATEGORIES MEAN
- Success: the request worked
- Redirection: the resource is elsewhere
- Client error: the request was wrong, or the resource does not exist
- Server error: the server failed
WHY THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS
It tells you which side to investigate.
WHAT HTTPS ADDS
Encryption, and verification that you reached the server the certificate names.
WHAT A PAGE ACTUALLY INVOLVES
Many requests: the page, then images, stylesheets, scripts and fonts.
WHY THAT MATTERS FOR SPEED
Each additional request costs time, particularly on high-latency connections.
WHAT TO REDUCE
The number and size of requests.
