mod_http2 is not available under Apache 2.4.18 / Ubuntu 16.04 xenial

[Vivien GUEANT]

With Apache 2.4.18 (Server built: 2016-01-21T20:15:22) / Ubuntu Xenial Xerus (development branch)

mod_http2 for HTTP/2 is not available in folder /etc/apache2/mods-available
(/etc/apache2/mods-available/http2.load does not exist)

HTTP/2 (originally named HTTP/2.0) is the second major version of the HTTP network protocol used by the World Wide Web.
Apache2.4.18 docs for HTTP/2 : https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_http2.html

Apache2 version : Server version: Apache/2.4.18 (Ubuntu) Server built: 2016-01-21T20:15:22
Kernel : 4.4.0-2-generic #16-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jan 28 15:44:21 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Ubuntu Xenial Xerus (development branch)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Nils Hartmann (x378)]

From: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/xenial/+source/apache2/+changelog

[...]
    - Don't build experimental http2 module for LTS:
      + debian/control: removed libnghttp2-dev Build-Depends (in universe).
      + debian/config-dir/mods-available/http2.load: removed.

So it seems that it was removed on purpose!?

[Halvor Lyche Strandvoll (halvors)]

This should really be added before release.

[Robie Basak (racb)]

This is deliberate. See bug 1531864. Or is Apache's http2 support non-experimental now?

[Nils Hartmann (x378)]

My workaround to install the http2 module and still be get security-updates:

Since the http2 module is still included in the source it's pretty easy to compile it and copy it back to the apache installed from the package.

Make sure you've the source repositories in the apt sources.

You need to install libnghttp2-dev, download the apache2 sources and build them without any changes:
$ sudo apt-get install libnghttp2-dev
$ mkdir apache2
$ cd apache2
$ apt-get source apache2
$ sudo apt-get build-dep apache2
$ cd apache-2.4.18
$ fakeroot debian/rules binary

afterwards just copy the http2.so from debian/apache2-bin/usr/lib/apache2/modules/mod_http2.so to /usr/lib/apache2/modules/ and create a load-file in $APACHE-ROOT/mods-available/

HTH

[Алхимов Александр (aleks-nl5)]

@Nils Hartmann (x378) Thanks!