Glossary
HTTP/2
HTTP/2 is a major revision of HTTP that multiplexes many requests over one connection, reducing latency versus the older HTTP/1.1.
HTTP/2 is a major revision of the HTTP protocol that dramatically improves how browsers and servers exchange data, replacing the head-of-line bottlenecks of HTTP/1.1.
Key improvements
- Multiplexing — many requests and responses share a single connection simultaneously, instead of queuing or opening many connections.
- Header compression (HPACK) — reduces repetitive header overhead.
- Binary framing — more efficient and less error-prone than text parsing.
- Server push (now largely deprecated in favour of preloading).
Requirements
In practice all browsers require https, so a valid ssl-tls certificate is a prerequisite for HTTP/2.
Why it matters for hosting
HTTP/2 reduces latency, especially for pages with many assets, improving ttfb and core-web-vitals. It is supported by nginx, apache, litespeed, and every major cdn. Its successor, http-3, pushes performance further by moving to a UDP-based transport.
See also
HTTP/3
HTTP/3 is the latest HTTP version, built on the UDP-based QUIC transport to cut connection setup time and eliminate head-of-line blocking.
HTTPS
HTTPS is HTTP layered over TLS encryption, so data exchanged between browser and website stays private, authenticated, and tamper-proof.
SSL/TLS
SSL/TLS is the encryption protocol that secures connections between browsers and servers, enabling HTTPS and protecting data in transit.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are Google’s user-experience metrics — LCP, INP, and CLS — that measure loading, interactivity, and visual stability of a page.