Web Glossary
- Protocol
- The rules for information transferred over the Internet so that your computer will know what to do when it receives the information. For example, all web pages use the HTTP protocol. When your computer downloads a file from the Internet that uses the HTTP protocol, it knows to use a web browser to display the file. Other protocols include SMTP, FTP, and PPP.
Related Terms: FTP (File Transfer Protocol), HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), IP (Internet Protocol), POP (Post Office Protocol), PPP (Point to Point Protocol), Socket, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)