What is new in HTTP/2 Protocol

Technological advancement in cyber world is a continuous phenomenon. HTTP protocol initially developed by Tim Burnee-Lee the pioneer of the World Wide Web serve high-level data communication between clients and web servers. Since then, it was revised several times, as in 1996 HTTP 1.0 was introduced in the cyber world. Later, in 1997 HTTP 1.1 was introduced with new improvements and advancements.

In February 2015, guys in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) revised a second major version of HTTP protocol, i.e. HTTP/2. Soon, we will discuss about HTTP protocol, its new version, and the benefit of using HTTP/2 protocol. But before we jump into our main topic we should first discuss about an internet protocol.

A protocol is a set of rules that guidelines the data communication mechanism between web clients and servers. It has three main parts: header, payload, and footers. Header is the portion that contains everything that is requested from the payload. The footer serves as a route between the client-servers to the intended recipient. It is payload that serve as a resource that is initially being requested.

What is HTTP Protocol

HTTP protocol is comprised of commands of GET and POST. GET command is used to retrieve information from the server. POST command is used to deliver the requested information to the client. HTTP 1.1 protocol has a limited processing. It depends upon one request at a time for a TCP connection. Multiple TCP connection results into monopolization of work resources. Network performance of users is affected by this method.

Goal of developing HTTP/2 protocol

The goal of introducing HTTP/2 protocol is to introduce robustness, sophistication, and simplicity in network performance. Today, websites are built with high-end graphics, and with a lot of scripts to increase user engagement with the website. An advancement was needed to run such websites in a more sophisticated pattern. HTTP/2 protocol serves the purpose for it. It helps in reducing latency rate by using new techniques of multiplexing, server push, compression, and request prioritization.

Server push allow serve to pull up who content of page other than that already lies in the browser cache. Compression of HTTP header minimize server overhead for enhanced performance.

Previously, HTTP 1.1 doesn’t offer any session endpoint like facility. Therefore, cybercriminals use cookie hack as a way of compromising user accounts passwords, and other information. The new protocol provides a much secure TLS like features. This will help securing accounts information of users. Moreover, google prefer website with secure TLS certificates. It will help increase website rankings in search engines.

HTTP/2 protocol use Bi-directional sequence of text frames known as streams. HTTP 1.1 protocol consumes multiple TLS connections, which is now replaced by binary framing layers of HTTP/2 protocol. Server payload will be break up into small, independent and parallel sequence of frames. Which then will be reassembled at the client’s end.

More advantages of using HTTP/2 protocol

Parallel multiplexed server request will not block each other. Single TCP connection will be use for enhance use while transmitting data streams. Redundant optimization tricks such as image sprites, concatenation, domain sharding and other hacks will no longer be required using this protocol.