Ultimate guide: Enabling HTTP2 in WordPress hosting for speed boost!

Enabling HTTP/2 in WordPress Hosting

HTTP/2 is a major revision of the HTTP network protocol, significantly improving the loading times of websites by allowing multiple simultaneous requests in a single connection. For WordPress sites, switching to HTTP/2 can notably enhance user experience and site performance, driving better SEO rankings.

Understanding HTTP/2 and Its Benefits

HTTP/2 offers numerous advantages over HTTP/1.1, such as binary framing, multiplexing, server push, header compression, and prioritization, which streamline the communication between browsers and servers. These features reduce latency by enabling more efficient processing of requests and responses.

Check if Your Server Supports HTTP/2

Before enabling HTTP/2, check if your server supports it. Many modern hosting providers include HTTP/2 support in their services, but verification is crucial. Use online tools like “HTTP/2 Test” to check your server’s protocol support.

Upgrade to HTTPS

HTTP/2 requires a secure environment, meaning your WordPress site must run over HTTPS. If your site is not already secured with SSL/TLS, you need to set this up:

Purchase an SSL Certificate: Buy a certificate from a reputable SSL provider or check if your host offers a free SSL certificate like Let’s Encrypt.
Install and Activate the SSL Certificate: Follow your hosting provider’s instructions to install the certificate on your server.
Configure WordPress to Use HTTPS: Change your WordPress site and home URL to HTTPS via General Settings, and ensure that all internal links and resources are updated to HTTPS.

Configure Your Web Server for HTTP/2

Different servers require different configurations to enable HTTP/2:

Apache

For Apache servers, update to at least version 2.4.17, which includes HTTP/2 support. Modify the server’s configuration file:


    
        Protocols h2 http/1.1
        ...

Restart the Apache server to apply changes.

Nginx

Nginx has supported HTTP/2 from version 1.9.5. Include the http2 parameter in your SSL server block:

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    listen [::]:443 ssl http2;
    server_name yourdomain.com;
    ...
}

Reload Nginx to enable HTTP/2.

LiteSpeed

For servers running LiteSpeed, ensure you’re using LiteSpeed Web Server 5.0 or higher, as this version introduced built-in HTTP/2 support. Use the LiteSpeed Admin Console to enable HTTP/2.

Optimize WordPress for HTTP/2

With HTTP/2 enabled, adjust your WordPress settings to optimize performance:

Minimize Plugins: HTTP/2 optimizes the delivery of resources; thus, you might not need as many optimization plugins (e.g., for concatenating files).
Optimize Themes and Images: Although HTTP/2 improves resource loading, large files can still slow down your site. Optimize images and themes to ensure they are not unnecessarily bulky.

Test and Monitor Your Website

After enabling HTTP/2, thoroughly test your website:

Browser Developer Tools: Use browser tools to inspect the Protocol column in the Network tab to confirm HTTP/2 is in use.
Performance Testing Tools: Use tools like WebPageTest or Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site’s performance and observe improvements.

Regularly Update and Maintain

Keep your server environment and WordPress installation updated to safeguard the features and improvements that come with the latest versions of software and plugins, ensuring compatibility and security.

By following these detailed steps, WordPress site administrators can effectively enable and utilize HTTP/2, leading to improved site speed, better user experience, and potentially higher search engine rankings.

how to enable http2 in WordPress hosting