HTTP Class Technical Documentation (diff)

Difference between revisions for Users / Eo Ny / dev

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Overview

The Http class (src/class/http.php) is a core component of the WackoWiki system responsible for handling HTTP request/response processing, session management, caching, and security features. This class acts as a bridge between the web server and the wiki engine.

File Location: src/class/http.php
Language: PHP
Dependencies: Database class, Session classes, Utility classes (Ut), Diagnostics class (Diag)

Class Properties

Public Properties

Property	Type	Description
`$tls_session`	bool	Indicates if the current session uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
`$request_uri`	string	Normalized REQUEST_URI (e.g., 'PageOfNoReturn/show?a=1')
`$ip`	string	Client's real IP address (accounts for proxies)
`$sess`	Session	Reference to the Session object
`$method`	string	Current HTTP method/request type

Private Properties

Property	Type	Description
`$db`	object	Database connection reference
`$tls_mark`	string	Cookie name for TLS session marking
`$page`	string	Current page name being processed
`$hash`	string	SHA1 hash of the page name
`$query`	string	Encoded query string
`$lang`	string	Current language code
`$file`	string	Cache file path
`$caching`	int	Flag indicating if page should be cached (0 or 1)

Constructor

php 
(hl php)<!~~markup:2:end~~> public function __construct(&$db)

**Purpose:** Initializes the Http object and sets up HTTP session handling. **Parameters:** - ##$db## - Database object reference **Initialization Steps:** 1. Stores database reference 2. Extracts and normalizes REQUEST_URI 3. Detects TLS/HTTPS session status 4. Determines client's real IP address 5. Sets up TLS mark cookie name 6. Enforces TLS session upgrade if needed **Example:** 
php**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http = new Http($db);

Core Methods

Session Management

`session($route): void`

Initializes the session handler (file-based or database-based).

Parameters:

$route (int) - Routing flag:
Bit 2 ($route & 2): Enable static mode for files/freecap (disables replay prevention and ID regeneration)

Features:

Selects storage backend (file or database)
Configures cookie settings (security, path, httponly)
Binds IP and TLS validation
Recovers diagnostic logs from previous session

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->session(0); // Normal session
$http->session(2); // Static file serving mode

----

==== Caching System ====

===== ##check_cache($page, $method): void## =====
Determines if a page can be cached and prepares the cache check.

**Parameters:**
  - ##$page## (string) - Page name to cache
  - ##$method## (string) - Request method/action (e.g., 'show', 'edit')

**Caching Rules:**
  - ✅ Enabled for GET requests only
  - ✅ Disabled for POST requests
  - ❌ Never cached for 'edit' or 'watch' methods
  - ✅ Only cached for anonymous users (no logged-in users)

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->check_cache('HomePage', 'show');

`store_cache(): void`

Saves the generated page content to cache file.

Features:

Retrieves output buffer content
Saves to cache file with proper permissions
Records cache metadata in database
Only executes if caching flag is set and user is anonymous

Example:

PHP

// Called at end of page rendering
$http->store_cache();

`invalidate_page($page): int`

Invalidates all cached versions of a page.

Parameters:

$page (string) - Page name to invalidate

Returns:

Number of cache entries invalidated

Process:

Finds all cached versions (different methods/languages)
Touches files to past timestamp (faster than deletion)
Removes entries from cache metadata table
Returns count of invalidated caches

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$count = $http->invalidate_page('HomePage');
echo "Invalidated $count cache entries";

----

==== TLS/HTTPS Security ====

===== ##secure_base_url(): void## =====
Switches base URL from HTTP to HTTPS.

**Purpose:**
  - Ensures all subsequent URLs use HTTPS
  - Stores original HTTP URL for fallback
  - Called when TLS session is detected

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->secure_base_url();
// $db->base_url now uses https://

`ensure_tls($url): void`

Enforces HTTPS for a specific URL and redirects if necessary.

Parameters:

$url (string) - URL to secure

Behavior:

If not already HTTPS and TLS is enabled, forces HTTPS redirect
Handles both relative and absolute URLs
Converts relative URLs using current server name

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->ensure_tls('/secure/payment');

----

==== IP Address Detection ====

===== ##real_ip(): string## (Private) =====
Detects client's real IP address accounting for proxies.

**Proxy Headers Checked (in order):**
  1. ##HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP##
  2. ##HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR## (or custom header)
  3. ##HTTP_CLIENT_IP##
  4. ##HTTP_X_REMOTE_ADDR##
  5. ##REMOTE_ADDR## (fallback)

**Features:**
  - Filters out private/reserved IP ranges
  - Respects configured reverse proxy addresses
  - Returns ##'0.0.0.0'## as fallback

**Configuration in Database:**
  - ##reverse_proxy_addresses## - Comma/space-separated proxy IPs
  - ##reverse_proxy_header## - Custom header name (default: ##X-Forwarded-For##)

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$client_ip = $http->ip;  // e.g., "203.0.113.42"

HTTPS Detection

`tls_session(): bool` (Private)

Detects if current connection uses HTTPS/TLS.

Checks (any being true = HTTPS):

$_SERVER['HTTPS'] is 'on'
$_SERVER['SERVER_PORT'] is 443
$_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO'] is 'https'
$_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_SSL'] is 'on'
$_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PORT'] is 443

Security Headers

`http_security_headers(): void`

Sets security-related HTTP headers.

Headers Set:

Header	Purpose	Config Key
Content-Security-Policy	XSS/injection protection	`csp`
Permissions-Policy	Control browser features	`permissions_policy`
Referrer-Policy	Control referrer information	`referrer_policy`
Strict-Transport-Security	Force HTTPS	Auto (TLS only)
X-Frame-Options	Clickjacking protection	Hardcoded: `SAMEORIGIN`
X-Content-Type-Options	MIME sniffing prevention	Hardcoded: `nosniff`

CSP Configuration Options:

0 - Disabled
1 - Default policy (from csp.conf)
2 - Custom policy (from csp_custom.conf)

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->http_security_headers();

----
==== HTTP Methods ====

===== ##redirect($url, $permanent = false): void## =====
Performs an HTTP redirect.

**Parameters:**
  - ##$url## (string) - Target URL
  - ##$permanent## (bool) - Use 301 (permanent) vs 302 (temporary)

**Features:**
  - Decodes ##&amp;## entities to prevent broken redirects
  - Only works if headers not yet sent
  - Uses output buffering to work anywhere in page processing

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->redirect('http://example.com/new-page', true);  // 301
$http->redirect('/wiki/HomePage');                       // 302

`terminate(): void`

Safe exit/die with cleanup.

Cleanup Operations:

Saves diagnostic logs to session flash data
Ends script execution

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->terminate();

----

===== ##status($code): void## =====
Sets HTTP response status code.

**Supported Status Codes:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
200 => 'OK'
206 => 'Partial Content'
301 => 'Moved Permanently'
302 => 'Moved Temporarily'
304 => 'Not Modified'
400 => 'Bad Request'
401 => 'Unauthorized'
403 => 'Forbidden'
404 => 'Not Found'
405 => 'Method Not Allowed'
409 => 'Conflict'
410 => 'Gone'
416 => 'Requested Range Not Satisfiable'
500 => 'Internal Server Error'
501 => 'Not Implemented'
503 => 'Service Unavailable'

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->status(404); // Send 404 Not Found

----

==== Caching Control ====

===== ##no_cache($client_only = true): void## =====
Disables caching of the current page.

**Parameters:**
  - ##$client_only## (bool, default: TRUE)
  - ##TRUE##: Disable browser cache only
  - ##FALSE##: Disable both browser and server cache

**Headers Set:**
  - ##Last-Modified: <current-time>## (always fresh)
  - ##Cache-Control: no-store##

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->no_cache();        // Client-side only
$http->no_cache(false);   // Both client & server

`cache_promisc(): void`

Marks page as publicly cacheable.

Headers Set:

Cache-Control: public

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->cache_promisc();

----

==== Language Negotiation ====

===== ##user_agent_language(): string## =====
Determines best language based on browser preferences.

**Features:**
  - Follows RFC 9110 section 12.5.4 (HTTP Accept-Language)
  - Parses ##Accept-Language## header with quality factors
  - Attempts exact match first, then language fallback
  - Falls back to default system language

**Example Header:**

Accept-Language: en-US,en;q=0.9,de;q=0.8

**Returns:**
  - Language code (e.g., 'en', 'en-US', 'de')

----

===== ##available_languages($subset = true): array## =====
Returns list of available language translations.

**Parameters:**
  - ##$subset## (bool, default: TRUE)
  - ##TRUE##: Only allowed languages
  - ##FALSE##: All available languages

**Features:**
  - Scans ##LANG_DIR## for language files
  - Filters by ##allowed_languages## config if set
  - Caches result in session
  - System language always included

**Returns:**
  - Associative array: ##['en' => 'en', 'de' => 'de', ...]##

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$all_langs = $http->available_languages(false);
$allowed = $http->available_languages(true);

File Serving

`sendfile($path, $filename = null, $age = null): void`

Serves files with proper HTTP headers and caching.

Parameters:

$path (string) - File path (or HTTP_XXX constant for error pages)
$filename (string, optional) - Custom download filename
$age (int, optional) - Cache age in days

Features:

HTTP range request support (partial file downloads)
ETag and Last-Modified conditional requests
Proper MIME type detection
Content-Security-Policy for special file types
Streaming for large files
GZip compression for text files

Special Paths:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$http->sendfile(404); // Serves file defined by HTTP_404 constant
$http->sendfile(403); // Serves file defined by HTTP_403 constant

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->sendfile('uploads/document.pdf', 'my-document.pdf', 30);

`mime_type($path): string`

Returns MIME type for a file.

Returns:

MIME type string (e.g., 'application/pdf')
Default: 'application/octet-stream'

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$mime = $http->mime_type('file.pdf'); // 'application/pdf'

----

===== ##mime_types(): array## (Private) =====
Loads and caches MIME types from configuration.

**Features:**
  - Reads from ##config/mime.types##
  - Caches to ##cache/config/mime.types##
  - Reloads if config is updated

----

==== Compression ====

===== ##gzip(): void## =====
Compresses HTTP response with gzip/x-gzip.

**Features:**
  - Manually implements gzip (not relying on zlib.output_compression)
  - Produces correct ##Content-Length## header
  - Only compresses if:
  - 860 bytes < content < 1 MB
  - Client accepts compression
  - Headers not already sent

**Example:**
<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>**

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http->gzip();

Utility Methods

`parse_str($str): array` (Private)

Parses URL-encoded strings with special character handling.

Purpose:

Safely handles special characters in query/form data
Converts encoding properly

Example:
<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->**
<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
$data = $http->parse_str('name=John&age=30');

----

===== ##request_uri(): string## (Private) =====
Extracts and normalizes REQUEST_URI from server.

**Normalization:**
  - Removes base URL prefix
  - Removes spaces
  - Collapses multiple slashes
  - Removes ##..## path traversal attempts
  - Removes leading/trailing slashes

----

===== ##cut_prefix($prefix, $path): string## (Private) =====
Removes prefix from path (case-insensitive).

----

===== ##get_header_conf($file_name): string## (Private) =====
Loads security header configuration from files.

**Files Supported:**
  - ##csp.conf## / ##csp_custom.conf##
  - ##permissions_policy.conf## / ##permissions_policy_custom.conf##

----

===Configuration Dependencies===

The class relies on these database configuration settings:

#|
*| Setting | Type | Purpose |*
|| ##base_url## | string | Wiki's base URL ||
|| ##tls## | bool | Enable HTTPS enforcement ||
|| ##cache## | bool | Enable page caching ||
|| ##cache_ttl## | int | Cache lifetime in seconds ||
|| ##session_store## | int | 1=File, 0=Database ||
|| ##system_seed_hash## | string | Session encryption seed ||
|| ##cookie_prefix## | string | Session cookie prefix ||
|| ##cookie_path## | string | Cookie path ||
|| ##allow_persistent_cookie## | bool | Allow persistent login ||
|| ##session_length## | int | Session lifetime in seconds ||
|| ##reverse_proxy_addresses## | string | Comma/space-separated proxy IPs ||
|| ##reverse_proxy_header## | string | Custom X-Forwarded header ||
|| ##language## | string | Default language code ||
|| ##multilanguage## | bool | Enable language negotiation ||
|| ##allowed_languages## | string | Comma/space-separated allowed langs ||
|| ##enable_security_headers## | bool | Send security headers ||
|| ##csp## | int | CSP setting (0/1/2) ||
|| ##permissions_policy## | int | Permissions-Policy setting (0/1/2) ||
|| ##referrer_policy## | int | Referrer-Policy setting (0-8) ||
|#

----

===Constants Used===

#|
*| Constant | Type | Purpose |*
|| ##IN_WACKO## | bool | Security check (exit if not defined) ||
|| ##CHMOD_SAFE## | int | File permissions for cache files ||
|| ##CHMOD_FILE## | int | File permissions for config cache ||
|| ##CACHE_PAGE_DIR## | string | Page cache directory ||
|| ##CACHE_SESSION_DIR## | string | Session cache directory ||
|| ##CACHE_CONFIG_DIR## | string | Config cache directory ||
|| ##CONFIG_DIR## | string | Configuration directory ||
|| ##LANG_DIR## | string | Language files directory ||
|| ##DAYSECS## | int | Seconds in a day (86400) ||
|| ##HTTP_404## | string | Path to 404 error page ||
|| ##HTTP_403## | string | Path to 403 error page ||
|#

----

=== Workflow Examples ===

====Example 1: Handling a GET Request====

(hl php)
// In main wiki entry point
$http = new Http($db);
$http->session(0); // Start session

// Check if page can be served from cache
$http->check_cache('HomePage', 'show');

// ... render page content ...

// Store rendered page in cache if applicable
$http->store_cache();

// Send security headers
$http->http_security_headers();

// Possibly compress output
$http->gzip();

==== Example 2: Handling TLS/HTTPS Upgrade ====

<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http = new Http($db);  // Constructor detects TLS requirement
// If TLS is enabled and user wasn't in TLS before:
// - Sets TLS session flag
// - Marks session with TLS cookie
// - Redirects to HTTPS version

Example 3: Invalidating Cache After Page Edit

<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->

<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
// User edits a page
$http = new Http($db);
$count = $http->invalidate_page('HomePage');
// All cached versions (different languages, methods) are invalidated

==== Example 4: Serving a File ====

<!--markup:1:begin-->

php<!~~markup:1:end~~>

PHP

<!--markup:2:end-->
$http = new Http($db);
$http->session(2);  // Static file mode - no session replay prevention

// Serve with 30-day cache
$http->sendfile('uploads/manual.pdf', 'user-manual.pdf', 30);

Security Considerations

1. IP Address Spoofing

Validates IPs against private ranges
Filters proxy-provided IPs appropriately
Configurable reverse proxy trust

2. Session Security

Binds sessions to IP address
Binds sessions to TLS status
Supports both file and database storage
HttpOnly cookies by default

3. TLS Enforcement

Automatic HTTPS upgrade when configured
Marks TLS sessions to prevent downgrade attacks
HSTS header support

4. Content Security

CSP headers to prevent XSS
X-Frame-Options to prevent clickjacking
X-Content-Type-Options to prevent MIME sniffing
Referrer-Policy control
Permissions-Policy for browser features

5. File Serving

Validates file existence and readability
Prevents directory traversal via realpath()
Rejects symbolic links
Special CSP for SVG and PDF files

6. Cache Security

Cached only for anonymous users
Disabled for sensitive operations (edit, watch)
Only GET requests cached

Performance Optimization

1. Page Caching

Stores full HTML output
TTL-based expiration
Language and method-aware caching
Conditional request support (304 Not Modified)

2. MIME Type Caching

Loads MIME types once and caches
Regenerates only when config changes

3. Session Options

File-based sessions for simple deployments
Database sessions for distributed systems

4. Compression

Manual gzip implementation
Proper Content-Length generation
Only compresses appropriate sizes

Debugging

The class integrates with WackoWiki's diagnostic system:

<!~~markup:1:begin~~>

php<!--markup:1:end-->

<!--markup:2:begin-->

(hl php)
// Diagnostic messages are preserved across redirects
// via session flash data

// Check cached pages (debug comments in output):
// 
%%

Version History

Supports PHP 8.0+ (uses match expressions, union types)
Follows RFC 9110 for HTTP header handling
Modern cookie security practices

Conclusion

The Http class is the central request/response handler in WackoWiki, managing everything from session initialization to security headers to file serving. Understanding this class is essential for:

Extending WackoWiki with custom request handlers
Implementing custom session logic
Adding new security policies
Optimizing cache strategies
Debugging HTTP-related issues

Difference between revisions for Users / Eo Ny / dev

Overview

Class Properties

Public Properties

Private Properties

Constructor

Core Methods

Session Management

session($route): void

store_cache(): void

invalidate_page($page): int

ensure_tls($url): void

HTTPS Detection

tls_session(): bool (Private)

Security Headers

http_security_headers(): void

terminate(): void

cache_promisc(): void

File Serving

sendfile($path, $filename = null, $age = null): void

mime_type($path): string

Utility Methods

parse_str($str): array (Private)

Example 3: Invalidating Cache After Page Edit

Security Considerations

1. IP Address Spoofing

2. Session Security

3. TLS Enforcement

4. Content Security

5. File Serving

6. Cache Security

Performance Optimization

1. Page Caching

2. MIME Type Caching

3. Session Options

4. Compression

Debugging

Related Classes

Version History

Conclusion

`session($route): void`

`store_cache(): void`

`invalidate_page($page): int`

`ensure_tls($url): void`

`tls_session(): bool` (Private)

`http_security_headers(): void`

`terminate(): void`

`cache_promisc(): void`

`sendfile($path, $filename = null, $age = null): void`

`mime_type($path): string`

`parse_str($str): array` (Private)