answers.input_text: short
answers.span_text: Hypertext Transfer Protocol ( HTTP ) for secure communication
questions: what is the meaning of https //
name: HTTPS
contexts: HTTP Secure ( HTTPS ) is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol ( HTTP ) for secure communication over a computer network , and is widely used on the Internet . In HTTPS , the communication protocol is encrypted by Transport Layer Security ( TLS ) , or formerly , its predecessor , Secure Sockets Layer ( SSL ) . The protocol is therefore also often referred to as HTTP over TLS , or HTTP over SSL .