HTTP Client Hints (or simply Client Hints) are a set of
HTTP Header Fields for proactive
content negotiation
Content negotiation refers to mechanisms defined as a part of HTTP that make it possible to serve different versions of a document (or more generally, representations of a resource) at the same URI, so that user agents can specify which version fit ...
in the
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, ...
(HTTP).
The client can advertise information about itself through these fields so the
server
Server may refer to:
Computing
*Server (computing), a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called clients
Role
* Waiting staff, those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers and su ...
can determine which resources should be included in its response.
As an abstract example, the server might indicate in an
Accept-CH response header of an initial request that it can accept device pixel ratio information from the client. The client will then make future requests using a header field containing these details, and the server will respond with images appropriate for that device pixel ratio.
References
External links
*
User-Agent Client Hints – Draft Community Group Report, 9 February 2021Client Hints – MDN Web Docs Glossary
Hypertext Transfer Protocol headers
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