HTTP proxy

An HTTP proxy is a proxy that understands web requests: it accepts your HTTP request, reads the destination out of it, makes the request on your behalf, and hands you back the response. Because it speaks the protocol, it can also add or strip headers along the way.

What happens with HTTPS

Encrypted sites work differently. Your client sends the proxy a CONNECT request naming the host and port, the proxy opens a plain tunnel to it, and your browser then negotiates TLS with the site through that tunnel. The proxy moves the encrypted bytes but cannot read them — which is why a single endpoint is usually labeled "HTTP/HTTPS" rather than sold as two separate products.

Why it matters when you buy proxies

HTTP is the endpoint with the widest support. Browsers, scraping libraries, antidetect tools and command-line utilities all accept a host, port, username and password with no extra setup, so it is the one to try first. Reach for SOCKS5 when the tool is not web-based, or when you need UDP.

A concrete example

Configuring a browser profile to run through a proxy is an HTTP-endpoint job: paste the host and port into the profile's proxy settings, add the username and password, and every tab in that profile leaves from the proxy's IP. White Cloak issues both HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 credentials for every device, so this choice is a setting rather than a purchase.