- From: Roy T. Fielding <fielding@kiwi.ics.uci.edu>
- Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 18:28:33 -0800
- To: Ross Patterson <ROSSP@ss1.reston.vmd.sterling.com>
- Cc: http-wg@hplb.hpl.hp.com
>In section 14.23 "Host", the statements > > "A client MUST include a Host header field in all HTTP/1.1 request > messages on the Internet (i.e., on any message corresponding to a > request for a URL which includes an Internet host address for the > service being requested). If the Host field is not already > present, an HTTP/1.1 proxy MUST add a Host field to the request > message prior to forwarding it on the Internet. All Internet-based > HTTP/1.1 servers MUST respond with a 400 (Bad Request) status code > to any HTTP/1.1 request message which lacks a Host header field." > >can be interpreted to relax the requirement when requests are not >transiting the public Internet (e.g., between a client and server on a >departmental LAN). I believe the intent is to make HOST a required >request header whenever TCP/IP is the vehicle for the HTTP conversation. >If so, these statements should be clarified. No, the existing wording is better because the requirement still holds even if the use of HTTP is over UDP, T/TCP, or any other future transport protocol. The requirement relates to the meaning of identifier components and not to the transport protocol itself. The reason for the implied relaxation is because it is possible to use HTTP on a transport that has no concept of hostnames (like between a PDA and its base station) and we don't want a separate specification of HTTP for every transport. ....Roy
Received on Tuesday, 10 November 1998 18:36:32 UTC