Ace the CIW Pro Exam 2026 – Go Web Warrior and Take Charge!

HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is a fundamental protocol used in web development that facilitates communication between clients (typically web browsers) and servers. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and how the web server responds to various commands. When a user enters a URL in a browser, the browser sends an HTTP request to the server hosting the website. The server then processes this request and responds with the requested content via HTTP.

The other options play supportive roles in the web ecosystem but do not directly handle the communication between clients and servers. While routers may direct traffic, they do not dictate the communication protocol. Browsers are the client-side applications that utilize HTTP but are not the protocol itself. Firewalls function as security mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to networks but do not manage client-server communication protocols. Thus, HTTP stands out as the essential element for this interaction in web development.