Socket and HTTP programming both use a message-passing paradigm. A client sends a message to a server, which usually sends a message back. Both sides are responsible for creating messages in a format understood by both sides, and in reading the data out of those messages.
However, most standalone applications do not use message passing techniques much. Generally the preferred mechanism is that of the function (or method or procedure) call. In this style, a program will call a function with a list of parameters, and on completion of the function call, will have a set of return values. These ...
