WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is an extension of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) that allows clients to perform remote web content authoring operations, such as creating, modifying or deleting files, directly on a web server. Here are some differences between WebDAV and HTTP:
1. Purpose: HTTP is used for transferring files or resources between clients and servers. WebDAV, on the other hand, allows remote content authoring on a web server over HTTP.
1. Methods: HTTP has a limited set of methods like GET, POST, PUT, HEAD, DELETE, etc. while WebDAV has a more extended list of methods like COPY, MOVE, PROPFIND, LOCK, UNLOCK, etc.
1. Security: HTTP provides the option to secure connections using SSL/TLS. WebDAV also allows the use of SSL/TLS but adds other security features like client authentication, server-side authentication, etc.
1. Metadata: HTTP does not provide a way to manage metadata, while WebDAV enables clients to manipulate metadata associated with web resources.
1. Standards: HTTP is a well-established protocol that is used as the backbone of the internet. WebDAV, on the other hand, is an extension of HTTP that is not as widely accepted, but still has gained popularity for remote web authoring scenarios.
In summary, while both WebDAV and HTTP are used for transferring resources over the internet, WebDAV provides additional functionality for managing remote authoring operations on web servers.
