QUIC
Quick UDP Internet Connections
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
QUIC is Google's invention that takes the speed of UDP and adds the reliability of TCP, all while encrypting everything. It's the transport layer that powers HTTP/3. Think of it as a custom-built race car — it has seatbelts (reliability) and a turbo (speed) built in from scratch.
Real Talk
QUIC is a transport layer protocol built on UDP that provides connection establishment with reduced latency (0-RTT for returning connections), multiplexed streams without head-of-line blocking, and mandatory TLS 1.3 encryption. It became the foundation for HTTP/3.
When You'll Hear This
"QUIC dramatically reduces connection setup time vs TCP+TLS." / "HTTP/3 uses QUIC at the transport layer."
Related Terms
HTTP/3
HTTP/3 is the newest version of HTTP and it ditches TCP entirely in favor of QUIC.
Latency
Latency is the delay before data starts moving — the time it takes for a request to go from your device to the server and back.
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
TCP is like sending a package with delivery confirmation.
TLS Handshake (Transport Layer Security Handshake)
The TLS handshake is the 'hello, do we trust each other?' ceremony that happens before any HTTPS data flows.
UDP (User Datagram Protocol)
UDP is like shouting information across a room — fast but no guarantee anyone heard you. There's no handshake, no confirmation.