HTTP/2

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

HTTP/2 provides performance improvements for the Web protocol by enabling multiplexing, header compression (HPACK), and server push, while maintaining HTTP/1.x semantics and aiming for a single connection per origin to reduce latency and resource usage.

Target Customer

{"Web Browsers (e.g., Edge, Safari, Firefox, Chrome)","Web Servers and Proxies/CDNs","API Providers / HTTP APIs","Open Source implementers and developers building HTTP/2 support"}

Key Differentiator

Built on the SPDY foundation with evolution after community input; uses a binary framing protocol, enables multiplexing over a single connection per origin, includes HPACK header compression, and supports server push, while preserving compatibility with HTTP/1.x semantics.

Implementation Timeline

Not specified in the provided content; deployment/value realization depends on available implementations and environment (browsers, servers, and proxies supporting HTTP/2).

Pain Points

1HTTP/1.x requires many connections per origin, increasing overhead and risking congestion and unfair bandwidth use.
2Head-of-line blocking and limited parallelism in HTTP/1.x lead to suboptimal page load performance and complex workarounds (e.g., domain sharding, spriting).
3Header overhead (e.g., cookies, Referer) contributes to larger on-wire sizes; traditional compression approaches posed security risks (e.g., CRIME) in encryption scenarios.

Key Features

1Binary protocol with framing (rather than textual HTTP/1.x)
2Multiplexing: multiple requests/responses in flight over a single connection per origin
3HPACK header compression to reduce header overhead
4Server Push to proactively send resources the client is likely to need
5TLS usage with a defined profile and support for ALPN; options for h2c upgrade

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Engineer

Client Results

1Reduced perceived end-user latency for web pages
2Fewer TCP connections required per origin, improving network resource usage
3Potential for faster delivery of assets via server push and more efficient header handling
4Improved security posture through a defined TLS profile and safer header handling

Competitive Advantages

1Single connection per origin reduces connection overhead and congestion
2Multiplexing eliminates head-of-line blocking for parallel requests
3HPACK header compression significantly reduces on-wire header size
4Server Push can reduce round-trips by preloading resources
5Binary framing reduces parsing errors and improves efficiency; TLS profile enhances security

Key Benefits

1Faster web page loads through multiplexing and reduced header overhead

2Efficient use of network resources via a single per-origin connection

3Opportunities for proactive content delivery with server push

4Improved parsing reliability due to binary framing and standardized security considerations

Additional Product Information

Product Description

HTTP/2 is a major revision of the Web's protocol designed to improve performance by enabling multiplexing, header compression, binary framing, and optional server push, while maintaining compatibility with HTTP/1.x semantics.

Target Market

{"Web browsers","Web servers","Content Delivery Networks","API providers and other HTTP-based services"}

Unique Value Proposition

HTTP/2 delivers faster web page loading and more efficient network usage by enabling multiplexed, header-compressed, binary-framed communication over a single connection per origin, with optional server push and a defined TLS profile for security.

Technical Requirements

Implementation considerations include support for binary framing, HPACK header compression, multiplexing over a single connection per origin, TLS profile requirements (when used), ALPN negotiation for TLS-based deployments, and h2c upgrade handling for non-TLS deployments. Some deployment options include using ALPN with TLS or performing an HTTP/1.1 upgrade on h2c. Settings such as HPACK state management and flow-control context are defined by the protocol.

Pricing Model

Not specified; HTTP/2 is presented as an open standard/specification.

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