For those of you who often browse the internet or visit websites, you must be familiar with HTTP. HTTP itself is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol used to form the World Wide Web (WWW). Well, now there is HTTP/2 which is an upgraded version of HTTP/1 which has not been updated for too long since 2015.
So, what is the relationship between HTTP and HTTP/2? Basically, the task of HTTP itself is to send server data to the user's browser, while HTTP/2 is a part that can speed up the data transfer process, besides using HTTP/2 is also safer because it has the ability to manage data when overload occurs.
With the release of HTTP/2, it brings the benefit of browsing the internet faster. Furthermore, the article will discuss in more depth what HTTP/2 is, starting from the definition, advantages and how it works.
What is HTTP/2?
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| What is HTTP/2? |
HTTP/2 is part of HTTP which is a version of HTTP/1 based on the Google SPDY protocol which was created with the aim of increasing access speed on website pages that utilize several technologies such as compression, multiplexing and stream priority. Basically, HTTP/2 is an updated and revised version of the HTTP/1 protocol or its first version released in 1997.
This HTTP/1 update was also caused by the slowness of the images and scripts in it. Therefore, HTTP/2 was designed with the aim of overcoming the problems that exist in HTTP/1. The results also prove that HTTP/2 is better and faster than HTTP/1.
HTTP/2 works by prioritizing content first, for example when a user accesses a website, HTTP/2 will load the content first compared to ads or banners. That way, users will feel that the website has fast responsive loading.
Simply, HTTP/2 is the latest revision of the HyperText Transfer Protocol or HTTP, used by browsers to communicate with web servers. Derived from the older SPDY protocol, HTTP/2 is the first new version of HTTP since the standardization of HTTP/1.1 in RFC 2068 in 1997.
It was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) HTTP working group httpbis (where "bis" means "twice"), and was published as RFC 7540 in May 2015.
What is the difference between HTTP 1.1 and HTTP 2?
HTTP/2 is a more modern protocol, which can increase browsing speed by using new methods. HTTP/2 is compatible with HTTP 1.1. Most of the technologies used by both are also the same. However, HTTP/2 allows more efficient performance and allows the server to respond to more requests.
HTTP 1.1 only uses 1 connection for each object on the web server that will be displayed in the browser. So, when a web page contains more than 100 objects, it takes 2 x 100 connections to make a request and wait for a response from the server.
If the web server is late in processing one of the requests, a bottleneck or buildup will occur. HTTP/2 uses multiplexing technology, so that in 1 connection from the browser, several objects can be requested and downloaded at once in parallel.
Website pages will load faster using HTTP/2, compared to HTTP 1.1. The new protocol allows web pages and browsers to take advantage of increased bandwidth. HTTP/2 also allows faster internet access using mobile devices.
HTTP/2 still uses the same URI scheme and port numbers used in HTTP/1.1 (i.e. port 80 for http URIs, and port 443 for https URIs), but many things are done differently under the hood. The most fundamental change is the introduction of frames as the basic data unit of HTTP/2.
HTTP/1.1 typically uses packets to represent network data. The client constructs a request packet with a method verb (e.g. GET or POST), adds a list of headers describing the connection, and a body containing the application data.
Upon receiving the request packet, the HTTP/1.1 server responds with a similar response packet containing the requested information. As a result, each request and response cycle requires a new connection.
In contrast, HTTP/2 clients establish a single network connection with the server, which they use for all subsequent network communications. Headers, user data, error messages, and such information are packed into a distinct binary data structure called a frame, before being sent over the network.
What is the advantage of HTTP 2?
As mentioned earlier, HTTP/2 has the advantage of being faster and more responsive than HTTP/1, besides that there are several other advantages of HTTP/2. Here is the explanation.
1. Faster Website
The main advantage of HTTP/2 is that it is faster when compared to HTTP/1. This is also the main purpose of updating HTTP/1. Because HTTP/2 has supporting features such as multiplexing, compression, and other optimizations that make websites accessible with faster loading. By using HTTP/2, users can also improve user experiences and visitor comfort.
2. More Effective and Efficient
The next advantage, HTTP/2 is more effective and efficient because of the features it has, such as header compression, multiplexing which functions to use bandwidth on slow or limited internet connections.
3. Supports TLS and is Secure with Encryption
HTTP/2 also has the advantage of supporting TLS transport, so that data sent using HTTP/2 will then be encrypted. That way data security can be guaranteed and can be sent safely between the client and the server.
4. Improve User Experience
The level of responsiveness and fast loading will certainly improve the user experience and comfort. HTTP/2 uses its features to prioritize content, reduce latency, and page loading times. So, if you want to improve the experience of visitors who access your website, then using HTTP/2 is the right strategy.
Also, HTTP/2 has many benefits for websites. Here are the benefits of using HTTP/2 that you should know:
- Significantly speeds up website loading with multiplexing, concurrency, header compression, and server push technology.
- Saves resource usage on the server and client.
- HTTPS connections can run faster and more securely thanks to more efficient compression and encryption technology.
- Gives application developers greater control to set the priority of the order of objects they want to load first.
- Load websites faster with the latest technology in HTTP/2.
- More SEO friendly, because Google Bot already supports HTTP/2 so websites with HTTP/2 will get priority from Google.
- Server push feature.
- HTTP has the same encryption method as the previous version, namely HTTP 1.1. So it will not have any impact on secure HTTPS access. The difference is, HTTP/2 encryption has been updated, so HTTPS access is faster.
How does HTTP/2 works?
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| HTTP/2 works |
Httpbis' charter mentions several components of HTTP/1.1 that could be improved as motivation for HTTP/2. However, the group's primary goal was to reduce latency perceived by end users.
To do this, httpbis was envisioned minimizing bandwidth overhead through header compression and aggressive prefetching techniques (e.g., server push), while at the same time systematically attempting to address known performance issues such as connection congestion and the Head-of-Line (HoL) blocking problem.
In addition, HTTP/2 was required to be backward-compatible, meaning it had to use the same method verbs, status codes, URIs, and (most) header fields found in HTTP/1.1. HTTP/2 was also required to be designed to support common HTTP use cases, such as web and desktop browsers, programming interfaces, proxies, and firewalls.
To maintain this compatibility, the working group developed a protocol negotiation mechanism that would allow clients and servers to choose between HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, or even non-HTTP protocols.
HTTP/2 is an evolution of the HTTP protocol that has been widely used on the web. Launched in 2015, HTTP/2 has significant changes in optimizing website performance. Below is a discussion of how HTTP/2 works and its impact on user experiences.
1. Multiplexing
HTTP/2 has multiplexing, which allows multiple requests and responses in a single TCP connection. Previously, HTTP/1 used multiple connections to deliver different resources, this caused latency and overhead on the website.
With multiplexing, requests and responses can be sent simultaneously over a single connection, this increases the efficiency and speed of data transfer.
2. Stream Prioritization
HTTP/2 allows clients to set priorities for each request, providing additional flexibility in managing the order in which resources are delivered. With stream prioritization, clients can provide resources that are more important or have higher priority, this capability can certainly ensure more efficient delivery and a better user experience.
3. Header Compression
One of the main drawbacks of HTTP/1 is that each request and response must include the full HTTP header, which is often repetitive and takes up a lot of bandwidth.
Meanwhile, HTTP/2 has header compression, where the HTTP header is compressed using an algorithm such as HPACK before being sent over the network. So that it can reduce the overhead generated by the HTTP header, and increase the speed and efficiency of transmission.
4. Binary Protocol
HTTP/2 adopts a binary structure to send data between the client and the server. This binary structure will break information into binary frames that can be sent and received more efficiently than text in HTTP/1. The binary structure also allows the use of compression techniques, as well as reducing the size of data that must be sent over the network.
5. Server Push
HTTP/2 can improve website performance by providing “push” functionality. An HTTP/2 web server can respond with data for more queries than the client has previously requested. This allows the server to supply the data it knows the web browser needs to render the page, without waiting for the browser to check the first response, and thus without the burden of an additional request cycle.
Server push gives developers complete control over the number of requests the browser requires to render their website. When used correctly, this feature can minimize network overhead. Of course, abusing the push feature can also consume more bandwidth than is actually necessary. For this reason, HTTP/2 allows clients to request that server push be disabled when first negotiating a connection.
HTTP/2 also has a server push feature, which allows the server to initiate sending resources to the client without a specific request. This allows the server to anticipate the client's needs and speed up the loading time of web pages.
Optimize Your Website with HTTP/2!
Widespread adoption of HTTP/2 will result in a new and better Web. It will be faster, require less bandwidth and help websites stay secure. Its mainstream adoption will surely make the overall web user experience smoother and more secure.
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that the use of HTTP/2 provides many advantages and benefits when compared to HTTP/1. The good news is, almost all browsers now use HTTP/2. However, if your website hosting is still using HTTP/1 then you need to change it, so that the website performance is more optimal...