"Features and Operation of HTTP Versions" : Evolution of HTTP cache protocols
Esha, Syeda Samiha Islam (2025)
2025
Tietotekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Information Technology
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-11-07
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025110510405
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2025110510405
Tiivistelmä
Modern online communication fundamentally relies on HTTP protocols. By the evolvement of new technology and generation, newer HTTP versions got introduced one by one. The very first ever HTTP protocol version was HTTP/0.9 which is of no use nowadays. The most recent version that got developed is HTTP/3, which is still getting evolved and adjusted. The major goal of this thesis is to discuss about the development of HTTP/1.0 to HTTP/3, where only the latest version is UDP based, but the older versions were all TCP based protocol. It also discusses about other features of HTTP and how it works.
This thesis involves capturing and analysing packets via Wireshark from different HTTP versions and compare them with their prior and later version. Each version had their own shortcomings, and the immediate later version of the prior version got introduced to address those shortcomings. HTTP/1 introduced header for the first time which was a lacking in HTTP/0.9. HTTP/1.1 introduced persistent connections so that the connection doesn’t keep closing after each transmission. On the other hand, the biggest improvement in HTTP/2 was multiplexing compared to HTTP/1.1. The most unique feature in HTTP/3 was using QUIC over UDP instead of TCP for network communication and addressing problems like Head-of-Line blocking, reducing RTTs etc. Most the websites and applications are still not get used to HTTP/3 and are dependent on older versions for some extend. HTTP/3 has its own shortcoming and has its own place for further improvements. But these can be minimized to some extent by taking some necessary measures.
This thesis concludes that, ongoing protocol development is essential for influencing web engagement. Future research is required to examine HTTP/3's uptake in real-time applications and additional security enhancements.
This thesis involves capturing and analysing packets via Wireshark from different HTTP versions and compare them with their prior and later version. Each version had their own shortcomings, and the immediate later version of the prior version got introduced to address those shortcomings. HTTP/1 introduced header for the first time which was a lacking in HTTP/0.9. HTTP/1.1 introduced persistent connections so that the connection doesn’t keep closing after each transmission. On the other hand, the biggest improvement in HTTP/2 was multiplexing compared to HTTP/1.1. The most unique feature in HTTP/3 was using QUIC over UDP instead of TCP for network communication and addressing problems like Head-of-Line blocking, reducing RTTs etc. Most the websites and applications are still not get used to HTTP/3 and are dependent on older versions for some extend. HTTP/3 has its own shortcoming and has its own place for further improvements. But these can be minimized to some extent by taking some necessary measures.
This thesis concludes that, ongoing protocol development is essential for influencing web engagement. Future research is required to examine HTTP/3's uptake in real-time applications and additional security enhancements.