HTTP as a CPU-Optimized Data Layout: Why It Outperforms Binary Protocols

This article challenges the widespread belief that binary protocols are faster than HTTP by revealing how modern CPUs actually process data. Through SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) architecture that reads 256-512 bits per instruction, HTTP's token-based structure enables parallel processing that sequential binary protocols cannot match. This fundamental insight could reshape protocol design decisions and significantly improve application performance across the industry.