Techniques and technologies for protocols for accessing hosts are described. In at least some embodiments, a system includes a processing component, and a host protocol component. The host protocol component is configured to receive at a host a request from a client device, the request including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) string locating at least one of a container or an ecosystem stored by the host; determine using at least a portion of the URL string whether the request is at least one of a container-related request or an ecosystem-related request; generate a response at the host including information responsive to the request, the information including the URL string locating the at least one of the container or the ecosystem, and at least one response parameter; and transmit the response from the host to the client device.