Deno 1.9, introduces an exciting new feature for developers working with JavaScript and TypeScript: native HTTP/2 server capabilities. The update integrates a fast, Rust-based HTTP implementation to enhance performance and support the HTTP/2 protocol, which is a significant improvement over the previous HTTP 1.1-only support. This update marks a step forward in Deno’s evolution as a secure and efficient runtime for modern web applications.
To build the new HTTP/2 server, the Deno team turned to hyper, a high-performance HTTP implementation written in Rust. This choice was made to improve the overall efficiency and speed of the Deno runtime, which has always emphasized security and performance. Prior to this, Deno relied on the TypeScript-based std/http server, which provided solid tail latency but was limited to HTTP 1.1. The new HTTP/2 support in Deno 1.9 opens up possibilities for better network utilization and faster data transmission in modern web applications.
One of the key benefits of the new native HTTP/2 server is a notable improvement in throughput. According to the release notes, the Deno 1.9 update has boosted performance by 48% in simple “hello-world” benchmarks when compared to the older HTTP server. This improvement is especially beneficial for developers looking to optimize the performance of their web applications, particularly in high-traffic environments where efficient handling of HTTP/2 requests can lead to better scalability and lower latency.
Despite these advancements, the HTTP/2 server API is still under development and is being offered as an unstable feature in Deno 1.9. This allows developers to experiment with it and provide feedback, while the Deno team works to stabilize the implementation. Once fully stable, this new HTTP/2 server functionality will provide a powerful tool for building fast, scalable, and secure web applications using Deno.