Chapter 4: Technical SEO
HTTPS and HTTP2 are crucial for SEO for several reasons, impacting both technical aspects and user experience, which search engines like Google prioritize: security and trust and user experience though improved speed and performance, better user engagement, and therefore, reduced bounce rate. So, what are the differences between the two?
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) and HTTP2 (Hypertext Transfer Protocol version 2) are two protocols used for communication on the web. While they serve similar functions, there are some key differences between them.
HTTPS is a secure version of the HTTP protocol, which is used to transfer data between a web server and a browser. It adds a layer of security by encrypting the data being transmitted, making it more difficult for unauthorized parties to intercept or tamper with the data. This is particularly important for sensitive information such as login credentials or credit card numbers.
HTTP2, on the other hand, is an update to the HTTP protocol that aims to improve its efficiency and speed. It introduces several new features, including multiplexing, which allows multiple requests to be sent over a single connection, and header compression, which reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred. These improvements can result in faster load times for web pages, particularly for those with many resources.
This means the main difference between HTTPS and HTTP2 is that HTTPS adds a layer of security to the HTTP protocol, while HTTP2 focuses on improving its performance. It is possible to use both protocols together, and in fact, it is recommended to use HTTPS with HTTP2 to ensure both security and efficiency.