Lesson 7 / 25
HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
Modern protocols that improve performance through multiplexing, header compression, and faster handshakes.
HTTP/2 multiplexing
HTTP/2 sends multiple requests over one connection simultaneously. No need to bundle assets or domain sharding. Header compression (HPACK) reduces overhead. Automatic prioritization of critical resources.
HTTP/3 and QUIC
HTTP/3 uses QUIC (UDP-based) instead of TCP. Faster connection establishment (0-RTT resumption), better loss recovery. Particularly beneficial for high-latency and mobile networks.
Protocol adoption timeline
HTTP/1.1 (obsolete), HTTP/2 (96% browser support), HTTP/3 (growing but not universal). Check your server/CDN support. Most modern CDNs support both HTTP/2 and HTTP/3.
Quick check
Quick check: What is a key advantage of HTTP/3?
- Uses UDP instead of TCP for faster handshake
- Smaller file sizes
- No compression needed