What is Port 8080? HTTP Port 80 vs 8080 vs 443 Difference

Did you know that 90% of websites use HTTP and HTTPS protocols to communicate over the Internet? Whether you’re streaming videos, shopping online, or managing a cloud server, you’re interacting with ports without even realizing it.

One such often-overlooked but widely used port is 8080. But what exactly is port 8080, and how does it compare to the commonly used ports 80 and 443?

Before we dive into the specifics of Port 8080, it’s important to understand what a network port is. Think of network ports as doorways on a server that allows different types of traffic to enter or leave. Every service runs on a computer.

Whether it’s a website, email server, or file-sharing application that communicates over specific ports.

If you’ve ever configured a web server or worked with network security, you might have encountered port 8080 and wondered, Is port 8080 HTTP or HTTPS? Why do some applications use it instead of the default HTTP port 80? Let’s demystify port 8080 and its role in web communication.

What is Port 8080?

Port 8080 is commonly used in place of the standard HTTP port 80.  Which is often used for web servers and application servers (such as Apache, Tomcat, and Jetty). It is generally used in development and testing environments to avoid conflicts with other services.

The use of port 8080 as a default for web servers and application servers dates back to the early days of the web when it was first becoming popular to host web content on personal computers.

Because of the default HTTP traffic, port 80 is already in use by other services. The IT people over the internet follow the standard that if port 80 is busy, use port 8080 as an alternative, but it doesn’t mean you can’t use any other free port instead.

The Key Points:

• It is a TCP port often used for HTTP communication.
• It serves as an alternative option to port 80. When the default port is occupied or blocked or to avoid conflict.
• It is not a default HTTPS port. Which means it does not directly provide encrypted communication.
• Many development environments and testing servers use port 8080 because port 80 requires administrative privileges or port 80 is used by the main server.

Is Port 8080 HTTP or HTTPS?

By default, port 8080 is an HTTP port, not HTTPS. It does not encrypt data like HTTPS (which operates on port 443). However, a server administrator can configure port 8080 to handle HTTPS traffic, but that is not its standard use case.

HTTPS on Port 8080

To configure port 8080 to handle HTTPS traffic, you need to enable SSL/TLS on your web server. Follow this step if you want to add an SSL certificate on port 8080:

Prerequisites:

• The first Prerequisite is you need a valid SSL/TLS certificate. Don’t have an SSL certificate, contact our team they will provide an SSL certificate and also help you in the setup process.
• Need any web server install such as Apache or NGINX.
• Root or sudo access to modify server configuration files.

Port Number	Protocol	Security	Common Use Cases
80	HTTP	No encryption	Default for the web pages
8080	Alternative of HTTP	No encryption	Used when port 80 is unavailable or for testing
443	HTTPS	Secured with encryption	Default for secure or HTTPS web pages

To Configuring HTTPS on Port 8080 in Apache

Step 1: Enable SSL Module

Run the following two commands to enable SSL support in Apache (for Ubuntu/Debian).

sudo a2enmod ssl

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 2: Update Apache Configuration file

Edit the Apache virtual host configuration file. Open the file using the nano text editor or your favourite text editor.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/yourdomain.conf

Add the following configuration:

<VirtualHost *:8080>
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html
    ServerName yourdomain.com

    SSLEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/fullchain.pem
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/privkey.pem
    SSLCACertificateFile /etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/chain.pem

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost> 

Make sure to replace yourdomain.com and SSL certificate paths with your actual values.

Step 3: Restart Apache

Save the file, type the “CTRL+X” button, then type “Y” and hit the “ENTER” button and restart Apache to apply changes by the below command.

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Use of the Port 8080

1. Load Balancers: Some load balancers use port 8080 to direct HTTP traffic.
2. Proxies and Reverse Proxies: Port 8080 is frequently used by proxy servers.
3. Local Development & Testing: Developers often use port 8080 for testing web applications.
4. Port 80 Restrictions: Some ISPs and operating systems block port 80 for security reasons.
5. Port Forwarding: A port forward puts a device outside of your router or NAT.

HTTP Port 80, 8080, and 443 Difference

To fully understand port 8080, let’s examine how it compares to ports 80 and 443:

Port 80: The Default HTTP Port

Port 80 is the default port for Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is used for transmitting web pages and other content over the internet. It allows web browsers to communicate with web servers in plaintext, meaning data transferred over this port is not encrypted.

Also Read: Port 80 (HTTP) vs. Port 443 (HTTPS): Major Difference

Because of this lack of security, sensitive information like login credentials can be intercepted by attackers. Modern websites typically redirect HTTP traffic on port 80 to the more secure HTTPS on port 443.

• Protocol: HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol)
• Encryption: None
• Use Case: Used by web servers for serving unencrypted webpages.
• Example URL: http://example.com
• Common Applications: Apache, Nginx, IIS

Port 443: The Secure HTTPS Port

Port 443 is the default port for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), ensuring that web traffic is encrypted using SSL/TLS. This encryption protects data from tampering and man-in-the-middle attacks, making it essential for securing online transactions, login credentials, and sensitive communications. Most modern websites use HTTPS by default.

• Protocol: HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure)
• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption
• Use Case: Used for secure web communication to protect data from eavesdropping and MITM (Man-in-the-Middle) attacks.
• Example URL: https://example.com
• Common Applications: Online banking, e-commerce, secure login pages

Port 8080: The Alternative HTTP Port

Port 8080 is commonly used as an alternative to port 80 for web services and proxy servers. It is often used for testing, development, or applications that require a secondary HTTP port when port 80 is unavailable.

• Protocol: Typically HTTP (but can be configured for HTTPS)
• Encryption: None by default
• Use Case: Used when port 80 is unavailable, for web applications, development, and proxy servers.
• Example URL: http://example.com:8080
• Common Applications: Tomcat servers, proxy services, local testing environments

How to Check If a Port 8080 is Open on Your System?

If you’re troubleshooting a network issue or setting up a web server, you might need to check if a specific port is open. Here’s how you can do it:

On Windows:

Step 1: Open the command prompt with the administrator.

Step 2: Type the following command in CMD > (netstat -an | find “8080”)

Step 3: You can change 8080 to any port you like. If port 8080 is open, you’ll see it.

On Linux:

Step 1: Open the Terminal

Step 2: Run the following command in the terminal > sudo netstat -tulnp | grep 8080

Conclusion

Port 8080 plays a very important role in web communication, serving as another option to the standard HTTP port 80. While it’s commonly used for testing, development, and proxy servers, it does not provide encrypted communication by default.

If security is a priority, HTTPS on port 443 remains the best choice for encrypting web traffic and protecting sensitive user data.

If you’re looking to secure your website with HTTPS, an SSL certificate is essential. Don’t leave your users vulnerable. Purchase an SSL certificate from us today and ensure your website is secure, encrypted, and trusted by visitors.

Contact our team for expert assistance in selecting and setting up the right SSL certificate for your needs!

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