Gemini ALPN ID

hey,

I was wondering what you think about using TLS with ALPN [1][2]? It 
eliminate doubt about which protocols a server speaks.

In my Node.js Gemini client & server [3], I use the ALPN protocol 
identification sequence `gemini` for now, but that seems to be 
incompatible with all other clients & servers not using it. [4]

Jannis

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application-Layer_Protocol_Negotiation
[2] https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7301
[3] https://github.com/derhuerst/gemini
[4] https://github.com/derhuerst/gemini/issues/5

It seems like a hack that just exists so that HTTP2 can work
efficiently while still keeping the old http:// scheme. What
would the purpose be for Gemini, especially with it having its
own port?

makeworld

On Sat, 10 Oct 2020 23:32:41 +0000
colecmac at protonmail.com wrote:

> It seems like a hack that just exists so that HTTP2 can work
> efficiently while still keeping the old http:// scheme.

Agreed. The client already knows that it has accessed a gemini:// URI.
The server knows what the client is asking for. There is no need change
protocol from that point, thus no ALPN necessary. From what I
understand, ALPN was invented (by Google) pretty much just for clients
and servers to decide early whether to user HTTP2 or not. For as long
as there's no Gemini 3.11 or whatever, there's nothing to negotiate.

-- 
Philip
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