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HTTP Keep-Alive

HTTP keep-alive reuses a network connection for multiple requests instead of opening a connection each time.

TopicIT knowledge → About 1 min read

Simple definition

HTTP keep-alive reuses a network connection for multiple requests instead of opening a connection each time.

Purpose and use

HTTP keep-alive avoids rebuilding a transport connection for every exchange eligible for reuse.

How does it work?

HTTP/1.1 connections are persistent by default unless closure is indicated; reuse timeouts and limits depend on clients, servers and proxies.

Example and verification

For failures after an idle period, compare client, reverse-proxy and application-server timeouts.

Points to watch

Connection or Keep-Alive fields intended for HTTP/1.x should not be blindly carried into HTTP/2 or HTTP/3, which have their own rules.

In short

Reuse reduces selected setup costs but guarantees neither a permanent connection nor freedom from idle timeouts.

Related resources

Relevant topic HTTP/3 HTTP/3 is a version of HTTP using QUIC in place of TCP. Relevant topic HTTP/3 0-RTT HTTP/3 can use QUIC's 0-RTT resumption to reduce connection setup latency, subject to replay-related limitations. Relevant topic HTTP Cache HTTP caching stores reusable responses according to cache headers, validators, and freshness rules. Relevant topic HTTP Header An HTTP header is a field carrying metadata about a request or response, such as content type or caching rules. Relevant topic HTTP Persistent Connection An HTTP persistent connection handles multiple requests over one transport connection to reduce connection overhead...
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