Does HTTP use UDP?

Question

This might be a silly question:

• Does HTTP ever use the User Datagram Protocol?

For example:

If one is

Answer 1

The answer: Yes

Reason: See the OSI model.

Explaination:

HTTP is an application layer protocol, which could be encapsulated with a protocol that uses UDP, providing arguably faster reliable communication than TCP. The server daemon and client would obviously need to support this new protocol. Quake 2 protocol proves that UDP can be used over TCP to provide a basis for a structured communication system insuring flow control (e.g. chunk ids).

Answer 2

Maybe just a bit of trivia, but UPnP will use HTTP formatted messages over UDP for device discovery.