HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the foundation of any data exchange on the Web, and it is a protocol used for transmitting hypertext. HTTP defines the rules and standards for how clients (such as web browsers) and servers communicate over the internet. It enables the fetching of resources, such as HTML documents, images, and videos, through request and response messages. HTTP is stateless, meaning each request is independent, and does not retain user data between requests. It is essential for the functioning of the World Wide Web, facilitating the transfer of web content.