HTTP Header Inspector

Professional HTTP header analysis tool for developers, security professionals, and web administrators. Debug, analyze, and understand HTTP communications with comprehensive header inspection.

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HTTP Header Inspector Tool

Enter a URL or paste HTTP headers to analyze request/response headers, security configurations, and server information.

URL Header Inspector

Raw Headers Analyzer

Security Headers

Check for security headers like HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options, and more.

Server Information

Identify server technology, versions, and configuration details.

Performance Headers

Analyze caching headers, compression, and performance optimizations.

About HTTP Header Inspector

HTTP Header Inspector is a comprehensive tool designed for web developers, security professionals, and system administrators who need to understand and analyze HTTP communications.

Why HTTP Headers Matter

Security Analysis

HTTP headers contain crucial security information including HTTPS enforcement, content security policies, and clickjacking protection.

Debugging & Troubleshooting

Headers reveal server responses, error codes, redirects, and caching behavior essential for debugging web applications.

Performance Optimization

Analyze caching headers, compression settings, and content delivery optimizations to improve website performance.

Professional Features

  • Real-time HTTP header analysis
  • Security header validation
  • Server technology detection
  • Performance metrics analysis
  • Raw header parsing and formatting
  • Export results for reporting

Powerful Features

Comprehensive HTTP header analysis with professional-grade features for developers, security experts, and system administrators.

URL Header Inspection

Enter any URL to fetch and analyze its HTTP response headers in real-time. Perfect for testing live websites and APIs.

Raw Header Analysis

Paste raw HTTP headers from logs, browser dev tools, or network captures for detailed parsing and analysis.

Security Validation

Automatically detect and validate security headers like HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options, and other security configurations.

Server Detection

Identify server technology, versions, and configurations from HTTP headers for reconnaissance and compatibility testing.

Performance Analysis

Analyze caching headers, compression settings, and performance-related configurations to optimize website speed.

Export Results

Export analysis results in various formats (JSON, CSV, TXT) for reporting, documentation, and further analysis.

How It Works

Understanding HTTP header inspection process and how our tool provides comprehensive analysis in simple steps.

URL Header Inspection Process

1

URL Submission

Enter the URL you want to analyze. Our tool supports HTTP and HTTPS URLs with various protocols.

2

HTTP Request

The tool sends an HTTP request to the specified URL and captures the complete server response including all headers.

3

Header Parsing

Response headers are parsed, categorized, and analyzed for security, performance, and configuration insights.

4

Results Display

Comprehensive analysis results are presented with explanations, security recommendations, and actionable insights.

Sample HTTP Headers

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2023 10:30:00 GMT
Server: nginx/1.18.0
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Content-Length: 1234
Cache-Control: max-age=3600, public
Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000
X-Frame-Options: DENY
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'
Set-Cookie: session=abc123; Secure; HttpOnly

This example shows typical HTTP response headers including security, caching, and server information.

What We Analyze

Security Headers

  • HSTS
  • CSP
  • X-Frame-Options
  • X-XSS-Protection

Caching

  • Cache-Control
  • ETag
  • Expires
  • Last-Modified

Server Info

  • Server Type
  • Technology Stack
  • Version Numbers
  • Configurations

Cookies

  • Set-Cookie
  • Security Flags
  • Domain Scope
  • Expiration

Educational Resources

Learn about HTTP headers, web security, and performance optimization with our comprehensive guides and tutorials.

HTTP Basics

Understanding HTTP Headers: A Complete Guide

HTTP headers are key-value pairs sent between clients and servers in HTTP requests and responses. They contain metadata about the request or response, including content type, authentication, caching instructions, and security policies.

Common HTTP Headers Explained:

  • Content-Type: Specifies the media type of the resource
  • User-Agent: Identifies the client application
  • Accept: Informs server about acceptable content types
  • Authorization: Contains credentials for authentication

Understanding these headers is crucial for web development, API integration, and troubleshooting network issues. Each header serves a specific purpose in HTTP communication protocol.

Web Security

Essential Security Headers Every Website Needs

Security headers protect websites from various attacks including XSS, clickjacking, and man-in-the-middle attacks. Implementing proper security headers is essential for modern web applications.

Critical Security Headers:

  • Strict-Transport-Security: Enforces HTTPS connections
  • X-Frame-Options: Prevents clickjacking attacks
  • Content-Security-Policy: Controls resource loading
  • X-Content-Type-Options: Prevents MIME sniffing

These headers form the foundation of web application security. Regular auditing and proper implementation can prevent many common security vulnerabilities.

Debugging

Common HTTP Header Issues in Web Development

HTTP header issues can cause various problems from broken functionality to security vulnerabilities. Understanding common issues helps developers debug and fix problems quickly.

Common Issues:

  • CORS Errors: Missing or incorrect Access-Control headers
  • Caching Problems: Improper Cache-Control directives
  • Content Issues: Wrong Content-Type headers
  • Authentication Failures: Malformed Authorization headers

Using header inspection tools helps identify these issues quickly. Regular monitoring and testing ensure headers are configured correctly for optimal functionality.

Performance

Optimizing Website Performance with HTTP Headers

HTTP headers play a crucial role in website performance through caching strategies, compression, and resource optimization. Proper header configuration can significantly improve loading times.

Performance Headers:

  • Cache-Control: Controls caching behavior
  • Compression: Content-Encoding for smaller payloads
  • ETag: Efficient cache validation
  • Preload Hints: Resource prioritization

Strategic header configuration reduces server load, decreases bandwidth usage, and improves user experience through faster page loads and better resource utilization.

Development Tools

HTTP Header Testing and Debugging Tools

Various tools help developers inspect, test, and debug HTTP headers. From browser developer tools to specialized command-line utilities, each serves different purposes in the development workflow.

Essential Tools:

  • Browser DevTools: Built-in network inspection
  • curl: Command-line HTTP client
  • Postman: API testing and development
  • Online Analyzers: Web-based header inspection

Combining multiple tools provides comprehensive header analysis capabilities. Each tool offers unique features for different aspects of HTTP header inspection and testing.

Best Practices

HTTP Header Best Practices for Modern Web Applications

Following HTTP header best practices ensures security, performance, and compatibility. Modern web applications require careful consideration of header configuration for optimal operation.

Best Practices:

  • Security First: Implement all necessary security headers
  • Performance: Optimize caching and compression
  • Compatibility: Test across different browsers
  • Monitoring: Regular header auditing and updates

Regular review and updates of HTTP headers ensure applications remain secure, fast, and compatible with evolving web standards and security requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about HTTP headers, our inspection tool, and web development best practices.

Contact & Support

Have questions about HTTP headers, need help with our tool, or want to report an issue? We're here to help.

Get in Touch

Email Support

For general questions, technical support, or feature requests:

support@httpheaderinspector.com

Bug Reports

Found a bug or issue with the tool? Let us know:

bugs@httpheaderinspector.com

Feature Requests

Have an idea for a new feature or improvement:

features@httpheaderinspector.com

Response Times

  • • General inquiries: 24-48 hours
  • • Bug reports: 12-24 hours
  • • Feature requests: 48-72 hours
  • • Urgent issues: 2-6 hours

Frequently Needed Information

When Reporting Issues:

  • • URL being analyzed (if applicable)
  • • Browser version and operating system
  • • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • • Expected vs actual behavior
  • • Screenshots if helpful

Quick Help

Most questions can be answered by checking our FAQ section above or reading through our educational articles in the blog section.