Read a reference note with a question in hand
A reference page is easier to use when you know which decision it should help you make. Reading can be a small, directed part of the work.
The complete index
Notes
A route through reference notes, verified identity and careful comparisons.
Begin with any of these seven notes. The section list and neighbouring readings offer a route back when a question changes.
What a verified connection tells you
A certificate check connects a secure session to the requested name. The page returned inside that session still deserves its own review.
Keep names and addresses separate
A name is a durable label. An address is one answer about where to try a connection. Treating them as separate observations makes a problem easier to describe.
Compare two attempts fairly
Two numbers become a useful comparison only when their conditions are known. The differences around the numbers can matter more than their size.
Read a failure one layer at a time
A connection can fail before a name is resolved, during a secure handshake or after a request arrives. Naming the layer narrows the next check.
Give a small page a small request budget
The work of opening a page includes its supporting files. A useful page can remain rich in explanation while asking the network to do very little.
Finish a small piece of work
An action finishing is useful evidence. The result that another person will use deserves its own check and a short route back.