Before HTTP/2
HTTP1 has been around for as long as I’ve been using the internet. It’s stood the test of time, which says a lot about it. However, the time has come for a boost on web power. Whether you see it as a boost in web browsing power, or a way to handle web data differently, it’s still an improvement. Lets look at HTTP/2 and why you should be excited for it.
What is HTTP/2?
HTTP/2 is the evolution of HTTP/1, but to understand that, you have to understand what it is and what it does. HTTP/1 tells the browser to download 1 item at a time in order to load a site. This is super-slow, which is a big deal now since everyone has gone mobile. Imagine all of the parts of your site that have to be loaded. You have your html files, CSS files, Javascript files, etc. Each one loads one at a time.
HTTP/2 is different, because it downloads everything all at once. A good analogy would be comparing HTTP/1 to carry each item you bring home from the grocery store, one at a time. HTTP/2 is like putting everything on a cart and wheeling it from your car to your kitchen in one trip. Its faster, easier on you, and much more efficient.
That’s why everyone recommends putting all of your CSS and script files into one file each, and minimizing them. The idea is to cram all of your css in one file, your scripts in another, and make them small enough for you to carry your groceries from the car to the kitchen in each arm (See how I tied all of that together?).
There’s no more waiting on files to download, because everything can download simultaneously. There no more bottlenecking of resources due to a larger file hitting the system.
Right now, that’s why people love CDNs so much. It helps browser to render parts of your site quicker. Your server isn’t busy retrieving static files that haven’t changed. Services like CloudFlare minimize your javascript and CSS files, too.
When Will HTTP/2 Go Live?
It’s already here. It really just depends on your hosting company. Some servers are already implementing this feature, but it’s something you’ll have to check into on your own. You’ll see a significant speed boost, and your search engine rankings should increase a well. Your website speed is taken into account when determining your rankings, so you’ll definitely want HTTP/2 when it’s readily available.
What do you think about HTTP/2? Do you think it will be a blessing, or will it bring more headaches, such as security risks? I’d love to hear what you have to say about HTTP/2.