A message sent from your app to a server asking for data or telling it to do something.
An HTTP request is a message your browser or app sends to a Server, asking for something. Every time you load a page, submit a form, or fetch data, an HTTP request is sent. Requests use methods like GET (read), POST (create), PUT (update), DELETE (remove) — the foundation of CRUD and REST APIs.
HTTP requests travel to endpoints (specific URLs), carry payloads (data), and include headers for Authentication (tokens, API keys). Each response includes a Status Code (like 200 for success, 404 for not found, 500 for server error). CORS policies control which domains can make requests. Middleware processes requests before they reach your routes.
You can see every HTTP request your app makes in the Network Tab of DevTools. Requests connect your Frontend to your Backend, passing through libraries like Axios or the fetch API, Edge Functions, and session management. Webhooks are automated HTTP requests triggered by events. WebSockets upgrade HTTP connections for real-time communication. Data is exchanged as JSON over HTTPS, and modern JavaScript handles requests with Async/Await.
Every HTTP request generates an HTTP Response containing a Status Code, headers, and a body. Understanding both sides of this exchange is essential for Network Tab debugging.
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