Isn't it silly that a tiny favicon requires yet another HTTP request? How can I put the favicon into a sprite?

Question

Everybody knows how to set up a favicon.ico link in HTML:

Answer 1

The proper solution is to use HTTP pipelining.

HTTP pipelining is a technique in which multiple HTTP requests are written out to a single socket without waiting for the corresponding responses. Pipelining is only supported in HTTP/1.1, not in 1.0.

It's required that servers support it, but not necessarily partipate.

HTTP pipelining requires both the client and the server to support it. HTTP/1.1 conforming servers are required to support pipelining. This does not mean that servers are required to pipeline responses, but that they are required not to fail if a client chooses to pipeline requests.

Many browser clients don't do it, when they should.

HTTP pipelining is disabled in most browsers.

• Opera has pipelining enabled by default. It uses heuristics to control the level of pipelining employed depending on the connected server.
• Internet Explorer 8 does not pipeline requests, due to concerns regarding buggy proxies and head-of-line blocking.
• Mozilla browsers (such as Mozilla Firefox, SeaMonkey and Camino), support pipelining however it is disabled by default. It uses some heuristics, especially to turn pipelining off for IIS servers.
• Konqueror 2.0 supports pipelining, but it's disabled by default.[citation needed]
• Google Chrome does not support pipelining.

I would recommend you try enabling pipelining in Firefox and try it there, or just use Opera (shudder).