PHP update and HTTP/2 implementation

PHP 7.1

The latest PHP version is available to Hostico customers both for shared hosting accounts and for VPS servers. PHP 7.1 can be activated through the "Select PHP Version" plugins for cPanel web hosting accounts, and the "PHP Version" plugin on VPS servers with cPanel. Customers with the Webuzo control panel need to contact us if they wish to install this version for the applications they are running.

HTTP/2

Hostico is the place where innovations in web services are presented, this time implementing the HTTP/2 protocol for use. This is an improvement over the HTTP/1.1 protocol that has been implicitly used for over a decade in web data transfer. The major differences between HTTP/2 and HTTP/1.1 are:

• is binary and not textual
• complete multiplex
• compress headers to reduce overall loading times

These aspects allow HTTP/2 to transmit information in a more compact manner, less prone to errors, and most importantly, simultaneously on the same connection, eliminating the need to open dozens of connections to the web server from the browser. The benefits of the HTTP/2 protocol have a direct effect on the loading speed of websites, with the loading time of websites running on HTTP/2 being lower than those running on HTTP/1.1.

In order to use HTTP/2 on the browser side, it is necessary for the site to be accessed via a secure variant (HTTPS), which means it must have a valid security certificate installed and the site must be configured to operate on the HTTPS connection. According to Hostico's offer, all clients, regardless of the chosen hosting package, benefit from a free security certificate.
Thus, in addition to improving the security of the website, the possibility of using HTTP/2 and enhancing the loading speed of the site is an additional reason for utilizing the SSL certificate and migrating the site to a secure variant. By implementing this protocol, the hosting services offered by Hostico have received a new boost in terms of performance.