HTTP/2 is the second major version of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which serves as the foundation for data communication on the World Wide Web. It was officially standardized in 2015 as a significant upgrade over the older HTTP/1.1 protocol, primarily designed to enhance website speed and efficiency.

While HTTP/1.1 processes requests and responses one after another (or a few in parallel with limitations), HTTP/2 introduces several key features:

• Multiplexing: Allows multiple requests and responses to be sent simultaneously over a single connection, eliminating delays.
• Server Push: Enables the server to send resources to the client's browser before they are explicitly requested, reducing load times.
• Header Compression: Uses the HPACK algorithm to shrink header size, minimizing overhead.
• Stream Prioritization: Lets browsers specify which resources are more important, ensuring critical elements load first.

For website owners and visitors, the benefits are clear: faster page loads, reduced latency, and a smoother user experience. Most modern web browsers and hosting servers now support HTTP/2. Enabling it typically requires an SSL/TLS certificate (HTTPS), which also boosts security. If your hosting provider offers it, switching to HTTP/2 is a straightforward way to improve your site's performance significantly.