How does the first version of the HTTP protocol differ from the second?

Main differences between HTTP/2 and HTTP/1.1:

• Binary protocol: HTTP/2 uses a binary format for data transfer, not text. This makes parsing more efficient and less error-prone.
• Multiplexing: Allows sending and receiving multiple requests and responses simultaneously over a single TCP connection. Eliminates the "Head-of-Line Blocking" issue in HTTP/1.1.
• Header compression with HPACK: Uses the HPACK compression algorithm to reduce the size of request and response headers, utilizing dynamic and static indexing tables.
• Server Push: Enables the server to send resources to the client even before they are explicitly requested. Reduces load delay for necessary resources.
• Stream prioritization: Allows the client to set priorities for different data streams so that the most important resources are loaded faster.

Comparison table:

Feature	HTTP/1.1	HTTP/2
Format	Text	Binary
Connections	One connection per request	Multiplexing (one to many)
Headers	Uncompressed	HPACK compression
Server Push	No	Yes
Head-of-line blocking	Yes	No
Performance	Lower with many resources	Higher