QUIC: The Secure Communication Protocol Shaping the Internet’s Future

Faster connection establishment

One of QUIC's main advantages is its reduced latency. Traditional TCP requires a multi-step handshake to establish a connection and additional steps to set up encryption via TLS. QUIC compresses these processes into a single handshake, which leads to faster connection times. In fact, QUIC eliminates the need for separate handshakes for TLS and transport, combining them into one. This significantly reduces the time it takes to establish secure connections.

Multiplexing without head-of-line blocking

A well-known issue with TCP is head-of-line (HOL) blocking, where the loss of a single packet forces all subsequent packets to wait until the lost packet is retransmitted. QUIC solves this problem by using independent streams, allowing multiple streams to exist within a single connection. This means that a packet lost in one stream doesn't block others, leading to more efficient data transfer.

Built-in encryption

QUIC was built with security in mind from the outset. Unlike TCP, where encryption is optional (via TLS), QUIC mandates encryption for all connections. This ensures that data transferred over QUIC is always encrypted and secure, providing a safer browsing experience.

Smoother handling of network changes

With mobile devices constantly switching between networks (e.g., from Wi-Fi to cellular), connection disruptions can occur. In traditional TCP, a change in network requires the connection to be re-established. QUIC, however, has built-in mechanisms to handle network changes smoothly without needing to start the connection process again, providing better resilience and maintaining performance for a better user experience.

Reduced latency for repeated connections

Since QUIC connections are identified by a unique ID rather than the IP address, reconnecting to a server you've connected to before is much faster. The server can recognize the connection by its ID and skip certain handshake steps, reducing the overall latency, especially in high-latency networks.

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