Include Referer-HTTP-header in requests from XMLHttpRequests

• From: Sven Neuhaus <sn@heise.de>
• Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:03:44 +0200
• To: public-webapi@w3.org
• Message-ID: <449BBC80.4010304@heise.de>

Hello,

currently, there is no standard behaviour for XMLHttpRequests regarding the
Referer HTTP header - some browsers send it, others don't [see also
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=170477].

As a web developer, I would welcome it if the referer header was sent by as
many browsers as possible when using XMLHttpRequests. It helps a lot when
analyzing problems and figuring out the origin of requests.
Please include the Referer header in the specification as a recommended
header for HTTP requests generated by the XMLHttpRequest object.

Suggestion:
'HTTP requests SHOULD by default include the "Referer" HTTP header.'

This probably belongs in the description of the "send" method.

Regards,
-Sven Neuhaus

Received on Saturday, 24 June 2006 02:13:59 UTC