Glossary: What is the Application Layer in Networking?

The application layer enables user interaction with network services, handling protocols like HTTP and SMTP for tasks like browsing and email.

This layer is responsible for supporting applications like email, file transfers, and web browsing by managing protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and SMTP. It translates user inputs into network requests and delivers responses back to users.

Practical Example of the Application Layer

When you access a website, the application layer uses the HTTP protocol to send a request to the server, which then retrieves the page and displays it on your browser.