Fields, content & representations
03The same resource can have many representations. Fields explain how to interpret the selected bytes.
Related RFCs and changes
“Updates” changes part of an earlier RFC. “Obsoletes” replaces it. This list shows selected related documents.
DIAGRAM§ 8 ↗
RFC 9110 · § 8EXAMPLE
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03
Read the content correctly.
The client uses metadata rather than guessing the meaning of arbitrary bytes.
Protocol participantThreat or exceptionProtocol controlSimplified drawings · precise section references
Read the updated RFC section ↗
Keep the resource, representation, and message distinct.
- Content-Type identifies the media type; Content-Encoding describes representation codings.
- Content-Length must agree with its defined meaning and framing constraints.
- Field names are case-insensitive; trailers have additional restrictions on permitted use and merging.
A resource is an abstraction. A representation conveys its state, while message content depends on the method and response status.
Read the RFC section ↗Diagrams simplify the RFC. Read the linked sections for complete requirements.
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