QUIC implementation

[aggarwaldev]

🚀 Feature Proposal

Implementation of QUIC https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-quic-transport-27

RFC: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc9000/

More related RFCs:

• https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc8999/
• https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc9001/
• https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc9002/

About QUIC:

• https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3098822.3098842
• https://blog.cloudflare.com/the-road-to-quic/
• https://blog.cloudflare.com/http3-the-past-present-and-future/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318801580_QUIC_Better_for_what_and_for_whom

This shall pave way for implementation of HTTP/3 since HTTP over QUIC is proposed to be called HTTP/3. QUIC will likely be used for transporting more than just HTTP.

Motivation

• The web is gaining a new protocol for communication (HTTP/3)
• Nodejs recently merged QUIC initial implementation with master branch. Landed in nodejs/node master nodejs/quic#390
  -- Implementation was removed: quic: remove experimental quic nodejs/node#37067
• QUIC shall be essential for implementation of HTTP/3 and node is working hard on this: QUIC support nodejs/node#23064
  One should read this discussion, it's really interesting

Misc

• New tracking issue: HTTP/3 support nodejs/node#38478

QUIC will likely be used for transporting more than just HTTP.

This turned out to be true. Checkout WebTransport: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-webtrans-http3/

Example

N/A

[mcollina]

A few interesting points: Fastify was the first framework for Node.js to support HTTP/2 and this was part of the initial idea of using our own custom Request and Reply objects. I was one of the devs that added HTTP/2 support on Node.js. I expect we add HTTP/3 support as soon as it lands on core. We have little to do here until that happens.

I would recommend you to join the discussion in core and see if you could help in implementing some of it.

cc @jasnell

[aggarwaldev]

@mcollina Thank you so much for considering me. I would love to take this opportunity. Do let me know if you need any help

[niklasgrewe]

i would also be happy if fastify is one of the first web frameworks for nodejs that support QUIC 👍 As I have seen, iOS 14 seems to have implemented QUIC experimentally.

[aggarwaldev]

@mcollina Node.js v15 (Current) supports QUIC.

Ref: https://github.com/nodejs/node/releases/tag/v15.0.0

[mcollina]

I'd be happy to review some (external) modules/plugins etc that can enable us to use QUIC/HTTP3 internally. There is no HTTP/3 in core, nor any binary of Node.js with Quic enabled.... because we need a patch on top of OpenSSL that they are not adding: https://www.openssl.org/blog/blog/2020/02/17/QUIC-and-OpenSSL/.

[jasnell]

@aggarwaldev ... The quic support in Node.js 15 is still under active development, is not yet officially supported, and still has a long way to go, not to mention the fact that it relies on an unofficial patch to openssl that is unsupported. I'm currently exploring a few options to move things forward, but, given that the Openssl omc has decided not to pick up official quic support until well after openssl 3.0 is out the door, it's going to take some time

[adminy]

Suppose Node.js releases a final working quic with nothing experimental could fastify core benefit from Quic out of the box or will the api have to be exposed in a certain manner to benefit from it?

[jasnell]

Out of the box, no, there would need to be some work in fastify to enable it because it would be a different set of APIs. Once that internal work is done, however, for end users of fastify it should require nothing more than a configuration option.

[flawnn]

How is it looking as of today with QUIC?

[mcollina]

How is it looking as of today with QUIC?

Same as 9 months ago.

[erulabs]

Are the any behind the scenes happenings now that Node.js 17 uses OpenSSL 3.0? https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V17.md#openssl-30 - seems this can move forward? Edit: It is moving forward! More info here: nodejs/node#38233

[ivanjeremic]

Are the any behind the scenes happenings now that Node.js 17 uses OpenSSL 3.0? https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/master/doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V17.md#openssl-30 - seems this can move forward? Edit: It is moving forward! More info here: nodejs/node#38233

Awesome, hope fastify will be first to use quic.

[mrinc]

hows this going?

[Eomm]

We need to wait this: nodejs/node#44325

[MarianoFacundoArch]

This is finally merged!

[mcollina]

doesn't look like it

[hg0428]

How's this going?

[jasnell]

Progress is being made... albeit slowly. I'm hoping to actually finish up the last few bits to be able to land the experimental API by end of december. Will update here when it's done.

[hg0428]

Progress is being made... albeit slowly. I'm hoping to actually finish up the last few bits to be able to land the experimental API by end of december. Will update here when it's done.

Thanks for the update and for working on this. This is definitely a feature that would be nice to implement.