The functioning of websites is based on the browser using http connection to search a website from the server and then showing it to the user. If you click on your browser’s address bar now, you’ll see the letters “https://” in front of the website address. It means, that the website has been read from the server using a combination of http-protocol and TLS/SSL protocol. The letter S in the end refers to the TLS/SSL protocol and stands for encryption. However, the web address doesn’t show you whether the server uses HTTP or HTTP/2 protocol.

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol

HTTP protocol was developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. Originally the protocol had only one command which requested a html file from the server. The first documented http 0.9 version was published in 1991. The more developed HTTP/1.1 was published in 1997. It included technology, that speeds up opening websites and is still widely in use.

What’s new in the HTTP/2 protocol?

HTTP/2 protocol was published in 2015. One of the largest new improvements is the ability to send multiple server requests side by side. The picture below visualizes what’s happening, if we compare it to a restaurant. During the times of HTTP/1, the waiter used to bring the items one by one to the customer, whereas the HTTP/2 waiter uses a tray to bring the whole meal at once.

Image from CollectiveRay: What is HTTP2? The only guide you need to setup a faster WordPress website

It means that every part of the site no longer has to be loaded one by one, but between the server and the browser, the content of the site is downloaded as compressed data on the same request. This reduces the effect of latency between the server and the browser while browsing the web. During the times of the former protocol, the latency multiplied because the browser asked for every document with a new connection and waited for the data from the server. HTTP/2 commands are sent as binary and no longer as text like in the former version. Binary increases security, is less prone to mistakes and is more compact to send. In the protocol, the server now also has the ability to push information for the browser without waiting for it to request for more information.

Do I have to do something to use the HTTP/2 protocol?

All of the most popular browsers support HTTP/2 protocol. If you use a rarer browser, which doesn’t support the protocol, the server knows to answer your browser using the HTTP/1.1 protocol. The server-side benefits from using the HTTP/2 protocol. It greatly speeds up the loading time of websites. The protocol is introduced on the server-end. If your website is in a shared webhotel, usage of the protocol depends on the host – you can’t put it in use yourself. If your own website was to benefit from the protocol, the site has to have an in-use SSL certificate, because the HTTP/2 protocol only works on an encrypted https connection. Easylinehost is moving into using HTTP/2 protocol on all servers. According to our findings, using the protocol has increased the Google Page Speed Insights points of WordPress-webpages around 5 points.

Faster website = better search engine visibility

Faster pages rank higher on Google search results and serve your customers better. Especially on mobile devices even the slightest additional speed can greatly affect the visitors experience on your site. Easylinehost’s webhotel is a safe and fast home for your website.

HTTP/2 & Easylinehost

Easylinehost’s webhotel is a safe and fast home for your website. HTTP/2 support on our servers improves the performance of your website. When browser supports HTTP/2, you get all the benefits of the HTTP/2 performance. Older browsers or non-HTTPS requests revert to HTTP/1.1. HTTP/2 is automatically enabled in all of our web hosting packages.