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Free HTTP/2 Protocol Test

Check whether the exact submitted hostname negotiates HTTP/2 through TLS ALPN and inspect the negotiated protocol and TLS timing.

Also known as: HTTP/2 test, ALPN

Evidence shown with sourceNo account requiredNo invented metrics

Run a real check above

Submit a public URL, domain, or keyword. Novaverb will show only the evidence this tool can actually retrieve or measure.

Evidence model

Know what the result proves

This check proves whether a server actually negotiates HTTP/2 on a real connection, because the protocol is read from the TLS ALPN handshake rather than from any header that claims support. It also reports whether HTTP/3 is advertised. It does not measure speed: negotiating h2 says a connection is multiplexed, not that a page is fast.

1. Source

Live TLS ALPN negotiation. The result identifies where its evidence came from.

2. Boundary

This performs one live TLS handshake to the submitted hostname. It proves the protocol negotiated by this probe, not protocol support on every edge or network path.

3. Next action

Use the finding to verify a problem, then connect a workspace when you need history, monitoring, or site-wide analysis.

What does an HTTP/2 test measure?

This checker opens one live HTTPS connection, offers h2 and http/1.1 through TLS ALPN, then reports the protocol selected by the endpoint. That makes the verdict protocol evidence - not a guessed score or a browser simulation.

How to enable HTTP/2

Use HTTPS on the public endpoint: Install a valid certificate and make sure the TLS listener is the edge visitors actually reach.
Enable h2 on the TLS listener: Configure your web server or CDN to advertise the h2 ALPN identifier; keep HTTP/1.1 as a fallback.
Retest the edge: A CDN can negotiate HTTP/2 for visitors even when the origin uses a different protocol, so test the public hostname.

If HTTP/2 is not negotiated

Check the certificate and SNI hostname, the CDN or load balancer TLS policy, ALPN support in the TLS stack, and whether a proxy is terminating the connection before it reaches your origin.

What this test proves

The selected ALPN protocol on one fresh TLS connection, plus basic connection timing and the HTTP status.

What it does not prove

It does not guarantee faster pages, HTTP/3 availability, browser support on every network, or good Core Web Vitals.

RFC 9113, HTTP/2
RFC 7301, TLS ALPN

This test performs a live TLS handshake and reads the ALPN-negotiated protocol; HTTP/3 support is inferred from the Alt-Svc header, not a QUIC handshake.

Get the right answer

What to submit - and what to avoid

Submit the domain or any URL on the site. Only the origin matters, so path and query are normalised away before the handshake. A private host is refused. A CDN in front of the origin answers this check, which is the honest answer for visitors, even when the origin behind it speaks a different protocol.

Use it like this

yourdomain.comAny address form works. http or https, with or without www, a bare domain or a full path - we normalize it for you. We test the secure origin either way.

https://www.yourdomain.com/pageA full URL with a path is fine - HTTP/2 is a connection property, so we check the origin behind it.

Avoid this

fast web hostingThat is a search phrase, not an address - enter a domain or URL to test.

Public methodology

Exactly how this result is produced

The input is normalised to the site's origin and a live TLS handshake is completed. The protocol is taken from the ALPN negotiation, so HTTP/2 is confirmed only when the server genuinely negotiates 'h2'. The Alt-Svc response header is read separately to note whether an HTTP/3 endpoint is advertised alongside it.

We normalize the input to the site's origin and complete a live TLS handshake.
We read the ALPN-negotiated protocol and confirm HTTP/2 only when the server actually negotiates 'h2' - not from a header that merely claims it.
We additionally read the Alt-Svc header to note whether HTTP/3 is advertised.

Built on public standards

The international standards this check applies

Two IETF specifications define this result. RFC 9113 defines HTTP/2 itself, and RFC 7301 defines Application-Layer Protocol Negotiation, the TLS extension this check reads to learn which protocol was actually agreed. Reading ALPN rather than a response header is what makes the answer a measurement instead of a claim.

IETFRFC 9113

HTTP/2

Confirms HTTP/2 support the way the protocol requires it: via ALPN, not a header claim.

Read the specification

IETFRFC 7301

TLS ALPN Extension

Reads the ALPN-negotiated protocol during the live TLS handshake.

Read the specification

We list a standard only where this tool genuinely reads or measures against it. Where a signal is outside a live check, the result says so instead of implying coverage.

Common questions

HTTP/2 Test FAQ

What does the Novaverb HTTP/2 Test check?

It performs a live TLS handshake and reads the ALPN-negotiated protocol to confirm whether your server actually serves HTTP/2. It also reports the TLS version and whether HTTP/3 is advertised via the Alt-Svc header.

What is HTTP/2?

HTTP/2 is a major revision of HTTP that multiplexes many requests over a single connection, adds header compression (HPACK), and enables prioritisation. It reduces round-trip overhead versus HTTP/1.1, speeding delivery of pages with many resources.

How is HTTP/2 negotiated between browser and server?

Over HTTPS, HTTP/2 is negotiated during the TLS handshake using ALPN (Application-Layer Protocol Negotiation). The client offers h2, and if the server agrees, the connection uses HTTP/2. This test reads exactly that ALPN result.

How do I enable HTTP/2 on my site?

Enable the HTTP/2 module in your web server or CDN (for example the http2 directive in modern server builds) and ensure HTTPS with ALPN is active. HTTP/2 in browsers effectively requires TLS, so a valid certificate is prerequisite.

What is the difference between HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2?

HTTP/1.1 sends requests largely one-at-a-time per connection and can suffer head-of-line blocking. HTTP/2 multiplexes concurrent streams over one connection and compresses headers, cutting latency for resource-heavy pages without opening many parallel connections.

Does this test confirm HTTP/3 support?

No. HTTP/3 here is only inferred from the Alt-Svc response header, which advertises an h3 endpoint. This ALPN-based test confirms HTTP/2 directly but does not perform a QUIC handshake to prove HTTP/3 works.

Why does HTTP/2 require HTTPS?

The specification allows cleartext HTTP/2, but every major browser only supports it over TLS via ALPN. In practice you need a valid certificate and HTTPS for browsers to negotiate and use HTTP/2 at all.

What TLS version should my server use with HTTP/2?

TLS 1.3 is preferred for its faster handshake and stronger defaults, with TLS 1.2 as an acceptable minimum. HTTP/2's blocklist forbids obsolete ciphers, so modern TLS configuration avoids fallback to HTTP/1.1.

The test says HTTP/2 is not negotiated. What now?

Confirm HTTPS with ALPN is enabled and the HTTP/2 module is on at whichever layer terminates TLS, often a CDN or reverse proxy rather than your origin. Some hosts serve HTTP/2 only at the edge.

Does HTTP/2 make a page faster?

It can reduce request overhead when a page loads many resources, but this protocol check does not measure page rendering or real-user speed. Compare field and browser measurements before attributing a speed change to HTTP/2.

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