# Protocol

*noun*

say it: **“PROH-tuh-kawl”** **/ˈproʊtəkɔːl/**

The agreed rules two programs follow to communicate over a network, such as HTTP.

## What is **Protocol**?

**Protocol** — The agreed rules two programs follow to talk over a network: who speaks first, what a message looks like and what each answer means. A browser and a web server both follow HTTP, so they understand each other.

## In a sentence

- “The browser and the server understand each other because both follow the same **protocol**, HTTP.”

Level: Novice · [More Web Development terms at this level](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary?category=web-development&level=1)

Updated: October 28, 2026

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/protocol-web-development