Re: #283: Set expectations around buffering

I haven't heard any issues with this text, so I'm setting the milestone for -15.


On 22/06/2011, at 11:35 AM, Mark Nottingham wrote:

> <http://trac.tools.ietf.org/wg/httpbis/trac/ticket/283>
> 
> Proposal for a new section after 2.1 Client/Server? Messaging
> 
> 2.2 Message Orientation and Buffering
> 
> Fundamentally, HTTP is a message-based protocol. Although message bodies can be chunked [ref to chunked encoding] and implementations often make parts of a message available progressively, this is not required, and some widely-used implementations only make a message available when it is complete. Furthermore, while most proxies will progressively stream messages, some amount of buffering will take place, and some proxies might buffer messages to perform transformations, check content or provide other services.
> 
> Therefore, extensions to and uses of HTTP cannot rely on the availability of a partial message, or assume that messages will not be buffered. There are strategies that can be used to test for buffering in a given connection, but it should be understood that behaviours can differ across connections, and between requests and responses.
> 
> ... with a reference to the new section somewhere in 7.2. Message Transmission Requirements.
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Mark Nottingham   http://www.mnot.net/
> 
> 
> 
> 

--
Mark Nottingham   http://www.mnot.net/

Received on Tuesday, 28 June 2011 05:09:54 UTC