HTTP Header Explainer

Understand HTTP headers in plain English. Paste headers and get clear explanations.

Paste HTTP headers above to see explanations

Common Header Categories

Content
Content-Type, Content-Length
Caching
Cache-Control, ETag, Expires
Security
CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options
CORS
Access-Control-*
Authentication
Authorization, WWW-Authenticate
State
Cookie, Set-Cookie

How to Use HTTP Header Explainer

  1. Paste your HTTP headers (from browser dev tools, curl, etc.)
  2. Each header is explained in plain English
  3. Security headers are highlighted
  4. See recommended values and best practices

About HTTP Header Explainer

Get plain English explanations for HTTP headers. Paste request or response headers and understand what each one does. Highlights security-relevant headers and suggests best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find HTTP headers?

In browser dev tools (Network tab), curl output with -v flag, or server logs.

What are the most important headers?

Content-Type, Cache-Control, Authorization, and security headers like Content-Security-Policy and CORS headers.

Are deprecated headers flagged?

Yes, deprecated or legacy headers are noted with modern alternatives suggested.