WebDAV

WebDAV, or Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning, is an extension to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that allows clients to collaboratively author and manage resources on remote web servers. It extends HTTP by introducing a set of methods and semantics for creating, moving, copying, locking, and querying resources, turning ordinary HTTP servers into collaborative file servers.

Key features include new HTTP methods such as PROPFIND, PROPPATCH, MKCOL, COPY, MOVE, LOCK, and UNLOCK, which enable property retrieval and manipulation, collection creation, and file operations. WebDAV supports locking to coordinate concurrent edits and a structured namespace with hierarchical collections (directories).

Versioning support via Delta-V extensions enhances WebDAV with version control operations like check-in/check-out, version histories, and labeling. The core WebDAV protocol and Delta-V are defined in RFC 4918 (WebDAV); earlier work appeared in RFC 2518, and Delta-V is described in RFC 3253.

Security and interoperability: WebDAV is typically used over TLS (HTTPS) to protect credentials and data. Authentication commonly uses HTTP Basic or Digest and can be integrated with systems such as Kerberos or OAuth in certain deployments. Practical usage includes network drive mappings in operating systems, content management systems, and collaboration tools. Common implementations include Apache mod_dav, Microsoft IIS, Nginx with WebDAV modules, and client integrations in Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Limitations and considerations: not all servers implement the full WebDAV suite or all properties, and some features such as locking or versioning may have partial or inconsistent support. Performance can be affected by HTTP overhead, and secure configuration is essential to prevent unauthorized access. Despite niche use in some enterprise workflows, WebDAV remains a standardized way to expose remote file storage over HTTP.