Static File Serving Benchmark (HTTP/3): Implementation Guide

File contents may be served from memory, but the cache must be the framework's own - a documented static file handler with whatever caching it comes with. A cache assembled in the entry does not count: no reading the directory into a map at startup, no pre-loaded buffers, no mapping the files by hand. The cache must also follow the disk: replace a file and the next response must carry the new bytes. Compression must use the framework's standard middleware or built-in static file handler - no handmade compression code. Serving the pre-compressed .br/.gz variants that sit on disk next to the originals is allowed, by a documented framework API (e.g. ASP.NET MapStaticAssets, nginx gzip_static / brotli_static, Caddy precompressed, Hono serveStatic({ precompressed: true })) where the framework has one, and otherwise by selecting the variant in the entry off Accept-Encoding. Those bytes already exist, so choosing one is a file read rather than compression - which is why this is allowed while compressing by hand is not. The response must carry the original file's Content-Type, the matching Content-Encoding, and must still follow the disk.

File contents may be served from memory, the same rule as Standard: the cache must be the framework's own rather than one assembled in the entry, and it must follow the disk - replace a file and the next response must carry the new bytes. Pre-rendered response headers stay allowed, as does serving pre-compressed .gz/.br variants from disk via any mechanism, with any compression approach.

File contents may be served from memory, the same rule as Standard: the cache must be the framework's own rather than one assembled in the entry, and it must follow the disk - replace a file and the next response must carry the new bytes. No other restrictions. Ranked separately from frameworks.

Configuration is free, including sendfile, open_file_cache, mmap and in-memory caching - serving files fast from a tuned cache is the job. Pre-compressed .br/.gz variants may be served through the server's own mechanism (nginx gzip_static / brotli_static, Caddy precompressed). Bodies must come from the mounted static directory; a handler that synthesizes them is not serving files. QUIC and HTTP/3 must come from the server's own implementation or a standard library it is built against, with QUIC parameter tuning allowed.

The HTTP/3 Static Files profile serves 20 static files of various types over QUIC, simulating a browser loading page assets over HTTP/3.

Connections: 64

How it works

The load generator (h2load-h3) connects over HTTP/3 (QUIC) on port 8443
Cycles through 20 URIs from requests/static-h2-uris.txt (same file set as the HTTP/2 static test)
All requests include Accept-Encoding: br;q=1, gzip;q=0.8
Each request fetches a different static file - CSS, JavaScript, HTML, fonts, SVGs, WebP images, and JSON
The server returns file contents with the correct Content-Type, optionally compressed

What it measures

HTTP/3 static asset serving - mixed content types and sizes over QUIC
QUIC multiplexing - how well the framework handles varied concurrent requests
Content-Type handling - correct MIME type mapping across file types
Compression efficiency (optional) - reduces payload size at the cost of CPU

Static files

20 files (~1.16 MB total, ~966 KB compressible text + ~200 KB binary):

Type	Files	Examples
CSS	5	`reset.css`, `layout.css`, `theme.css`
JavaScript	5	`app.js`, `vendor.js`, `router.js`
HTML	2	`header.html`, `footer.html`
Fonts	2	`regular.woff2`, `bold.woff2`
SVG	2	`logo.svg`, `icon-sprite.svg`
WebP	3	`hero.webp`, `thumb1.webp`, `thumb2.webp`
JSON	1	`manifest.json`

Pre-compressed versions (.gz, .br) are available on disk. See the Static TLS compression section for full compression rules.

Expected request/response

GET /static/logo.svg HTTP/3

HTTP/3 200 OK
Content-Type: image/svg+xml

(file contents)

Parameters

Parameter	Value
Endpoint	20 URIs under `/static/*`
Connections	64
Streams per connection	64 (`-m 64`)
Threads	64 (`H3THREADS`)
Duration	5s
Runs	3 (best taken)
Load generator	h2load-h3 (`--alpn-list=h3 -i …`)
Port	8443 (TLS + QUIC)