jehwanyoo/express-http-2

Implementing an HTTP/2 Server with Express

express-http-2

Implementing an HTTP/2 with Express

Prerequisite knowledge

• node-http-2
• Express

SSL Certification for localhost

openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -sha256 -subj '/CN=localhost' -keyout ./src/key.pem -out ./src/cert.pem

This example is written in HTTP/2, so it requires an SSL connection.

Important Things

Using http2 module to create the server

import express from 'express'
import * as http2 from 'node:http2'
import * as fs from 'node:fs'
import * as path from 'node:path'

const app = express()

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello, HTTP/2 with Express!')
})

const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'key.pem')),
  cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'cert.pem')),
}

const server = http2.createSecureServer(options, app)

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on https://localhost:3000')
})

But it has a serious problem.

node:events:497
      throw er; // Unhandled 'error' event
      ^

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'readable')
    at IncomingMessage._read (node:_http_incoming:214:19)
    at Readable.read (node:internal/streams/readable:737:12)
    at resume_ (node:internal/streams/readable:1255:12)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:82:21)
Emitted 'error' event on IncomingMessage instance at:
    at emitErrorNT (node:internal/streams/destroy:169:8)
    at errorOrDestroy (node:internal/streams/destroy:238:7)
    at Readable.read (node:internal/streams/readable:739:7)
    at resume_ (node:internal/streams/readable:1255:12)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:82:21)

Node.js v21.6.2

How should I solve this?

Express still does not officially support Node http2

• stackoverflow

• Solution:

  • First, consider using spdy as an alternative to node:http2.

    • Pros: Widely used and popular.
    • Cons: Does not use of official node:http2.

  • Second, consider using http2-express-bridge in conjunction with node:http2.

    • Pros: Enables the use of node:http2.
    • Cons: Less utilized compared to spdy.

I provide examples for both solutions.

solution 1 (spdy)

npm run start:spdy

import express from 'express'
import spdy from 'spdy'
import * as fs from 'node:fs'
import * as path from 'node:path'

const app = express()

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello, HTTP/2 with Express!')
})

const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'key.pem')),
  cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'cert.pem')),
}

const server = spdy.createServer(options, app)

server.listen(3001, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on https://localhost:3001')
})

solution 2 (http2-express-bridge)

npm run start:bridge

import express from 'express'
import http2Express from 'http2-express-bridge'
import * as http2 from 'node:http2'
import * as fs from 'node:fs'
import * as path from 'node:path'

const app = http2Express(express)

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello, HTTP/2 with Express!')
})

const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'key.pem')),
  cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(import.meta.dirname, 'cert.pem')),
}

const server = http2.createSecureServer(options, app)

server.listen(3002, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on https://localhost:3002')
})