Networks, protocols and the web stack
Computer Science · Key Stage 2 · The School
Client and server
Your browser is a CLIENT: it asks. A web server ANSWERS. That request–response pattern is behind nearly everything online — loading a page, sending a message, saving a game. Servers are ordinary computers whose job is to wait for requests and answer them quickly.
Protocols are agreed rules
A protocol is a set of rules both sides agree to so they can understand each other. HTTP carries web pages. SMTP carries email. TCP/IP splits data into packets, addresses them and puts them back in order. Without agreed protocols, connected computers would be people shouting in different languages.
What HTTPS actually does
The S means the connection is encrypted, so someone watching the network cannot read what is sent. It does NOT mean the site is honest, safe, or telling the truth — a scam site can have a padlock. HTTPS protects the journey, not the destination, and knowing that difference prevents a whole class of scams.
You visit a site with HTTPS. GUARANTEED: nobody between you and the server can read or alter what you send, and the certificate confirms you are talking to the domain shown in the bar. NOT GUARANTEED: that the people running it are honest, that the goods exist, or that the domain is the one you meant — 'amaz0n-deals.com' can have a perfect padlock. Encryption protects the journey, not the destination.