Final answer:
HTTP is a communication protocol essential for transferring webpage data over the Web. It stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol and operates as a request-response system between clients and servers, making the internet a network of easily accessible and navigable pages.
Step-by-step explanation:
HTTP is a communication protocol used on the World Wide Web for transmitting and receiving webpage data. It stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol and is the foundation of any data exchange on the Web. Essentially, HTTP defines a set of rules for web browsers and servers to communicate, allowing for the fetching of resources such as HTML documents. It operates as a request-response protocol in the client-server computing model.
When you enter a URL in your web browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested webpage content. The server then responds with the content along with a status code indicating the success or failure of the request. HTTP is the bedrock of data communication for the Web, and its use allows the internet to operate as an interlinked system of pages, which can be readily accessed and navigated by users all around the globe.