HTTPfriendly

HTTPfriendly is a concept or principle rather than a specific technology or protocol. It refers to the design and implementation of systems, applications, and services that interact using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) in a way that is efficient, robust, and easy to understand for both developers and machines. The core idea is to leverage HTTP's capabilities effectively without introducing unnecessary complexity or proprietary extensions.

A system that is HTTPfriendly typically adheres to RESTful principles when designing web APIs. This means using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) appropriately, employing standard status codes to indicate outcomes, and using common data formats like JSON or XML for request and response bodies. It also implies that the API should be stateless, meaning each request from a client to the server must contain all the information necessary to understand and complete the request.

Furthermore, an HTTPfriendly approach prioritizes discoverability and interoperability. This can be achieved through well-documented APIs, adherence to web standards, and avoiding obscure or non-standard request/response structures. The goal is to make it simple for other developers to integrate with the service, understand its behavior, and maintain it over time. Essentially, it's about building on the strengths of the web's foundational protocol to create more accessible and maintainable distributed systems.