HTTP/2 Server Push
Enables HTTP/2 server push for local JavaScript and CSS resources.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.2★ from 11
- Active installs
- 900+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 25 Mar 2018
- Added
- Jul 2015
- Requires WP
- 3.0
- Tested up to
- WP 4.9.31
- Downloads
- 28,325
Our analysis
AI-assistedHTTP/2 Server Push is a WordPress plugin that enables the use of server push technology in websites powered by the HTTP/2 protocol. It allows WordPress to send a Link: rel="prefetch" header for every enqueued script and style, which helps to improve loading times by preemptively sending resources to the browser. This plugin is suitable for users who want to enhance the performance of their WordPress sites, provided their server supports HTTP/2.
The plugin works by leveraging the native support for resource hints introduced in WordPress 4.6. It defaults to a responsible prefetching approach but can revert to hinting all assets if desired. However, it may not assist plugins and themes that directly output scripts into the page source, which could limit its effectiveness in some scenarios.
Best for: This plugin is best for WordPress users looking to optimise site performance with HTTP/2 support.
What it does well
- ✓Enables server push for improved resource loading
- ✓Integrates with WordPress's resource hinting features
- ✓Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
Where it falls short
- •Requires a web server that supports HTTP/2
- •May not support all plugins and themes that output scripts directly
- •Limited to WordPress 4.6 and above for certain features
Verdict
HTTP/2 Server Push offers a specific performance enhancement for compatible WordPress sites, but its effectiveness may vary depending on the themes and plugins in use.
From the developer
Dana Ross's own description of HTTP/2 Server Push, lightly tidied.
HTTP/2 is the new generation of the venerable HTTP protocol that powers the web. Among its most powerful features is server push, a way for web servers to send resources to the browser before it even realizes it needs them. This avoids the usual HTTP request/response cycle which happened for every script or stylesheet on a page.
This plugin enables WordPress to send a Link:<...> rel="prefetch" header for every enqueued script and style as WordPress outputs them into the page source. Unfortunately, it can’t help plugins and themes that output their scripts directly into the page itself, but these will continue to work as they always have.
Requires a web server that supports HTTP/2.
WordPress 4.6 and above
WordPress 4.6 introduced native support for resource hints.
By default, this plugin defers to WordPress 4.6 and theme/plugin developers to responsibly prefetch the right assets. Sites running
on older versions of WordPress will continue to get the previous behavior where all JavaScript and stylesheets had resource hints
printed for them.
I’ve added a filter To restore the old behavior (hint everything) on WordPress 4.6 and above. To use it, add this line to
your theme’s functions.php file or a custom plugin:
`add_filter('http2_render_resource_hints', '__return_true');```