HEADERFeld

HeaderFeld is a term used in computing to denote a field contained in the header portion of a structured data record or protocol message. It is commonly encountered in data processing, networking, and document formats, especially in German-speaking contexts.

A header field generally consists of a name and a value, and may include optional parameters or qualifiers. In many data formats, the field is represented as a key-value pair, with concise syntax to support parsing and validation. Some systems allow multi-line or folded values to accommodate longer information.

In networking and messaging, header fields convey metadata about the item, such as content type, source, encoding, and timestamps. In HTTP, header fields like Content-Type and User-Agent determine how messages are processed. HeaderFeld is a generic term that can be applied to these constructs in documentation and software design discussions.

The interpretation of a HeaderFeld is defined by format-specific standards. Parsing rules determine case sensitivity, delimiter characters, and allowance for comments or parameters. Validation often includes not only syntax but also semantic checks, such as acceptable value formats or ranges. Developers frequently document HeaderFeld definitions in schema or interface specifications.

Variants exist across contexts. Some systems encode header fields as JSON objects, others as plain text lines. Flexibility in representation supports different programming languages and interoperability requirements.

See also: header field, HTTP header, email header, metadata.