Middleware in Go often modifies the _______ of incoming HTTP requests before they reach the main request handler.

Middleware in Go typically modifies the context of incoming HTTP requests before they reach the main request handler. The context carries deadlines, cancellation signals, and other request-scoped values across API boundaries and between processes. Middleware can use this context to inject or modify values, allowing for tasks like authentication, logging, or request tracing before the request reaches the main handler.