What Does Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Mean?
Hypertext transfer protocol or HTTP is a fundamental protocol used on the Internet in order to control data transfer to and from a hosting server, in communication with a web browser.
Techopedia Explains Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
As a stateless protocol, HTTP is not inherently saving user settings — so items like cookies are used to help the web sites and servers to “remember” what a user has done.