How can a HTTP server know the content-length when using transfer encoding chunked?

How can a HTTP server know the content-length when using transfer encoding chunked?

When `Transfer-Encoding: chunked` is used, the HTTP server does not receive a `Content-Length` header; these headers are mutually exclusive. Instead, the server determines the end of the message body by processing the chunked stream dynamically. Each chunk in the stream begins with a hexadecimal number indicating its specific length, followed by a CRLF, then the chunk data itself, and another CRLF. The server reads these length indicators to know precisely how much data to expect for each individual chunk. The entire message body concludes when the server encounters a zero-length chunk, signaled by "0\r\n\r\n". At this point, the server knows the complete message has been received, effectively determining the total content length as it processes the stream, rather than from a pre-defined header.

--------------

Video link: https://youtu.be/ebL3EJUPVAY
Channel link: https://www.youtube.com/@HeyInsights

Have questions or thoughts? Leave a comment below. Thank you! 😃

Видео How can a HTTP server know the content-length when using transfer encoding chunked? канала Hey Insights