HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP is short for HyperText Transfer Protocol. HTTPS is an extension on this protocol that enables you to send encrypted information, by combining HTTP with the SSL/TLS protocol.

HTTP is the protocol that is used for communication between a webclient and a webserver, both used on the internet and local networks. This protocol determines which requests can be send to the webserver. Each request also contains a URL to the webpage or an image on the web. HTTP also determines which responses can be given by a webserver.

An example of an HTTP request are the calls you can send with the REST API. You can use these calls to send a request for information to the webserver and get a response.

Types of requests

There are different types of requests that indicate what the client wants to achieve by contacting the server. There are the GET requests, which are used to request information, but there are also PUT and POST request used for adding new information or editing old information. With DELETE you can remove information and there are many more types of requests. A request always contains a URL and headerfields and sometimes a body.

Types of responses

A response also consists of multiple parts: A code, header fields and a message. The codes indicate the result that was achieved. You might know the "404" code already, which indicates that the document that was requested does not exist. The response can give information about how a request was processed and give errors if something went wrong.

HTTPS

HTTPS uses an encrypted connection to secure send your data. This prevents the wrong people from getting access to sensitive data such as phone numbers, addresses and social security numbers. Copernica offers the possibility to force HTTPS on your own websites (built in Publisher). If you use a Copernica domain you don't need to take any extra steps. If you use your own domain you can HTTPS by following these steps:

  1. Apply for a SSL certificate of any type if you do not have one yet. You can find any company providing these on Google.
  2. Request a dedicated IP address at Copernica if you do not have one yet. You can request the address with our Support team (support@copernica.com) for a small monthly fee.
  3. Hand in the SSL certificate to our Support team along with its private key, the intermediate-certificate and the root-certificate. This is sensitive information, so don't send this unencrypted. You can also upload the certificate to a secure FTP server or send it over Skype.
  4. If you have completed all previous steps you can set your website settings to use HTTPS.

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