Node.js http2.getDefaultSettings() Method

Last Updated : 10 Aug, 2026

The http2.getDefaultSettings() Method is a built-in method of the Node.js HTTP/2 module that returns an object containing the default HTTP/2 settings used when creating HTTP/2 sessions. It is useful for viewing the default configuration values before establishing a connection.

  • It returns the default HTTP/2 settings as a JavaScript object.
  • It helps inspect the settings that Node.js uses by default.
  • It can be used as a reference before applying custom HTTP/2 settings.

Syntax:

http2.getDefaultSettings()

Where:

  • http2: The built-in Node.js HTTP/2 module that provides APIs for creating HTTP/2 clients and servers.
  • getDefaultSettings(): A method of the http2 module that returns an object containing the default HTTP/2 settings used by Node.js.

Return Value: An object where each property represents a default HTTP/2 setting (such as header table size, initial window size, and maximum frame size).

Example 1:

JavaScript 
const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options);

// Getting default setting 
// by using getDefaultSetting() method
const value =  http2.getDefaultSettings()

console.log("header table size : " 
    + value.headerTableSize)

server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {
  stream.respond({ 
    ':status': 200, 
    'content-type': 'text/plain' 
  });

  stream.write('hello ');
  stream.end('world');
  
  // Stopping the server
  // by using the close() method
  server.close(() => {
    console.log("server closed");
  })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect(
    'http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ 
  ':method': 'GET', ':path': '/' });

req.on('response', (responseHeaders) => {
  console.log("status : " 
  + responseHeaders[":status"]);
});

req.on('data', (data) => {
  console.log('Received: %s ',
  data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm,""));
});

req.on('end', () => {
  client.close(() => {
    console.log("client closed");
  })
});

Output:

header table size : 4096
status : 200
Received: hello
Received: world
client closed
server closed

Example 2:

JavaScript 
const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options);

// Getting default setting 
// by using getDefaultSetting() method
const value =  http2.getDefaultSettings()

console.log("initial window size : " 
    + value.initialWindowSize)

server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {
  stream.end('world');
  
  // Stopping the server
  // by using the close() method
  server.close(() => {
    console.log("server closed");
  })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect(
    'http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ 
  ':method': 'GET', ':path': '/' });

req.on('data', (data) => {
  console.log('Received: %s ',
  data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm,""));
});

req.on('end', () => {
  client.close(() => {
    console.log("client closed");
  })
});

Output:

initial window size : 65535
Received: world
client closed
server closed

Use Cases of http2.getDefaultSettings() Method

  • It is used to view the default HTTP/2 settings used by Node.js.
  • It helps compare the default settings with custom configurations.
  • It can be used as a baseline before applying custom HTTP/2 settings.

Reference: https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v12.x/docs/api/http2.html#http2_http2_getdefaultsettings

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