Q)Why 127.0.0.1 is known as localhost and why it is common for every system?
-> This address is also known as the Loopback address, which means any request sent to this address is again sent back to the same machine.
-> Here internal communication will be happening, so that no internet is required.
-> We can test our application so safely without connecting to the internet, which helps us to create a controlled environment for the application to interact without affecting the outside world.
A possible question may arise?
Q) But every device will have a unique IP address know? Then how 127.0.0.1 is a localhost to every system?
->The range of IP addresses from 127.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255 are specially reserved for loopback addresses by the Central Internet Authority (IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority)
-> When we use the external communication(i.e., connecting to the internet to access the resources over the network), we require a unique IP address for accessing those resources.
-> Whereas in Internal communication you don't need any unique IP address as you are not communicating over the internet, the request returns to the same machine itself.
-> Localhost facilitates internal communication for the device itself.
-> Technically any address in this range could be used for loopback, by convention, almost all operating systems and applications rely on 127.0.0.1 for loopback functionality majorly.
A possible question may arise?
Q) So can I use 127.0.0.2 as my localhost address?
Yes, we can use this as our localhost address, but:
-> 127.0.0.1 is the universally accepted standard loopback address across all operating systems and applications.
-> Raises unnecessary conflicts, there is no real benefit of using other IP addresses than 127.0.0.1, sticking with the standard one simplifies configurations and avoids potential confusion.
A possible question may arise?
Q) If widely used is 127.0.0.1 then why to reserve the IP address up to 127.255.255.255?
-> Reserving the whole block prevents accidental assignment of these addresses for external purposes.
-> Having them all reserved ensures they won't be mistakenly used for internet communication, which could lead to unexpected behavior.
-> While creating the protocol in the past, they had no clarity on how many IP addresses to assign as loopback addresses, so that's why for future-proofing they have registered from 127.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255
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