To which layer of the TCP/IP model does HTTP belong?

HTTP, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol, is a protocol that operates at the Application Layer of the TCP/IP model. This layer is responsible for facilitating communication between software applications and handles various protocols that enable web services and applications to function.

The Application Layer provides the means for software applications to communicate over the network, utilizing various protocols such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and others. In the case of HTTP, it specifically governs how messages are formatted and transmitted, allowing web browsers to request and display web pages from web servers.

By functioning at the Application Layer, HTTP does not deal directly with the transportation of data, which is the role of the Transport Layer, nor with the routing of packets across the network, which is the responsibility of the Network Layer. Similarly, the Data Link Layer is concerned with the physical transmission of data over the network medium. Each of these other layers serves distinct roles within the TCP/IP model, while HTTP is focused on the interactions between clients and servers in web communication.