Port 8080 is a commonly used alternative HTTP port. In networking, ports are endpoints used for communication between devices. While port 80 is typically used for HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) traffic, port 8080 serves as an alternative for HTTP requests. It's often used for testing and development purposes, as well as for running web servers in environments where the standard port 80 is already in use or restricted.

http:// localhost:8080

Many web servers and applications allow configuration to listen on port 8080 instead of the default port 80. For example, if a web server is running on localhost (127.0.0.1) and listening on port 8080, you can access it in a web browser by following these steps:

1. Ensure the service is running: Start the application or web server that listens on port 8080.
2. Open your web browser: Launch Chrome, Firefox, or Safari that you use to access the internet.
3. Type in the address bar: Enter http://localhost:8080.
4. Interact with the service: Use the web interface or application running on port 8080 as intended.

In practice, port 8080 is also sometimes used for proxy and caching servers or as a secondary web server port. It's generally considered a safe alternative to port 80 for various applications and development purposes.