View source for 7.2.1 HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP

=== 7.2.1 HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP ===
Here are some important protocols you might use every day without even realizing it:

* HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): This is the protocol that allows your web browser to talk to web servers and display websites. When you type a website address like www.google.com, your browser uses HTTP to ask for the webpage.
* HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): This is the secure version of HTTP. The "S" stands for "Secure," meaning that any information you send or receive (like your password or credit card details) is encrypted, keeping it safe from snoopers. Always look for the padlock symbol in your browser's address bar to ensure a site is using HTTPS!
* FTP (File Transfer Protocol): This protocol is used for sending and receiving files between computers over a network. Imagine you want to upload a big video to a website or download a large software program; FTP might be used for that.
* SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): This is the protocol used for ''sending'' emails. When you hit "send" on an email, SMTP helps it get from your computer to the email server, and then to the recipient's email server.
* POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3): This protocol is primarily used for ''receiving'' emails. When you check your email with POP3, it typically downloads those emails to your computer and removes them from the email server. This means they're usually only accessible from the device you downloaded them to.
* IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): This is another common protocol for ''receiving'' emails. Unlike POP3, IMAP keeps your emails on the server, so you can access them from multiple devices (like your phone, tablet, and computer) and they'll all be synced and show the same messages.

'''Bibliography:'''

* '''What is HTTP? (n.d.). ''Cloudflare''.''' https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/glossary/hypertext-transfer-protocol-http/
* '''What is HTTPS? (2024, May 22). ''Cloudflare''. Retrieved July 9, 2025, from https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/what-is-https/'''
* '''What is FTP? (2024, May 20). ''TechnologyGee''.'''  https://www.technologygee.com/what-is-file-transfer-protocol-ftp/
* '''IMAP  vs. POP3 vs. SMTP : The Ultimate Comparison (n.d.). Courier.''' https://www.courier.com/guides/imap-vs-pop3-vs-smtp