# R9 | z-ai/glm-5.2 | run 2

## Prompt

Explain the practical difference between HTTP and HTTPS for a website owner, and cite a source.

## Response

For a website owner, the primary difference between HTTP and HTTPS is security and trust. HTTPS encrypts data in transit, protecting user privacy and preventing third parties from modifying content, whereas HTTP transmits data in plaintext. Additionally, HTTPS improves search engine rankings, enables modern browser features, and builds visitor trust through visible padlock icons.

## Security and Integrity
HTTP transmits data as plaintext, making it vulnerable to interception and modification by third parties [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/). This allows ISPs or attackers to inject ads or malware into your webpages without your approval [Let's Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org/docs/why-all-https/). HTTPS uses SSL/TLS encryption to scramble data, ensuring that even if intercepted, the information remains unreadable and unmodified [Cloudflare](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/what-is-https/).

## SEO and User Trust
Search engines generally rank HTTPS websites higher than HTTP ones due to increased trustworthiness [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/). Browsers display a padlock icon next to HTTPS URLs, which signals security to users and increases their confidence in your site [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/).

## Performance and Features
Modern web browsers restrict powerful features like geolocation, push notifications, and progressive web applications (PWAs) to HTTPS sites only [Cloudflare](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-use-https/). HTTPS also improves loading speeds and provides more accurate referral traffic tracking for analytics [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/).

## Cost and Implementation
While HTTPS requires an SSL/TLS certificate, these are now widely available for free from authorities like Let's Encrypt [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/). The setup involves a brief handshake process where the browser and server establish a secure connection before exchanging data [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-https-and-http/).

How do I obtain and install a free SSL certificate for my website?
