What are some best practices for optimizing web performance?
- Reduce Server Response Time: Optimize backend processes and infrastructure to improve server response. A vital step in professional web development.
- Minimize HTTP Requests: Simplify your page structure to reduce the number of HTTP requests needed for loading.
- Optimize Images: Compress images using modern formats like WebP to decrease file size while retaining quality. Related to responsive design.
- Leverage Browser Caching: Set expiration dates for static resources so that returning visitors can load the site faster.
- Enable Compression: Use Gzip or Brotli to compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files and improve page load speed.
- Optimize CSS and JavaScript: Minify and combine these files to reduce their size and the number of requests.
- Defer JavaScript Loading: Load scripts after the main content to improve initial render times and user experience. See also UX improvement tips.
- Prioritize Visible Content: Load above-the-fold content first for a faster perceived load time.
- Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Distribute content through CDNs to reduce latency by serving users from geographically closer servers.
- Reduce Redirects: Limit the use of redirects as they introduce additional HTTP requests and slow down performance.
- Optimize Web Fonts: Use only essential fonts, preload them, and limit font weights and styles to speed up loading.
- Lazy Load Images and Videos: Implement lazy loading to defer loading of media until they’re visible in the viewport. This complements accessibility practices.
- Optimize Database Queries: Streamline and index database queries to reduce server-side delays.
- Monitor Performance: Use tools like Google Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and GTmetrix to monitor and continually optimize your website’s performance.