Web Performance Optimization

Overview

When to Use This Skill

• Use when website or app is loading slowly
• Use when optimizing for Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)
• Use when reducing JavaScript bundle size
• Use when improving Time to Interactive (TTI)
• Use when optimizing images and assets
• Use when implementing caching strategies
• Use when debugging performance bottlenecks
• Use when preparing for performance audits

How It Works

Step 1: Measure Current Performance

• Run Lighthouse audits
• Measure Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)
• Check bundle sizes
• Analyze network waterfall
• Identify performance bottlenecks

Step 2: Identify Issues

• Large JavaScript bundles
• Unoptimized images
• Render-blocking resources
• Slow server response times
• Missing caching headers
• Layout shifts
• Long tasks blocking main thread

Step 3: Prioritize Optimizations

• Critical rendering path optimization
• Code splitting and lazy loading
• Image optimization
• Caching strategies
• Third-party script optimization

Step 4: Implement Optimizations

• Optimize assets (images, fonts, CSS, JS)
• Implement code splitting
• Add caching headers
• Lazy load non-critical resources
• Optimize critical rendering path

Step 5: Verify Improvements

• Re-run Lighthouse audits
• Compare before/after metrics
• Monitor real user metrics (RUM)
• Test on different devices and networks

Examples

Example 1: Optimizing Core Web Vitals

Copy
## Performance Audit Results

### Current Metrics (Before Optimization)
- **LCP (Largest Contentful Paint):** 4.2s ❌ (should be < 2.5s)
- **FID (First Input Delay):** 180ms ❌ (should be < 100ms)
- **CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift):** 0.25 ❌ (should be < 0.1)
- **Lighthouse Score:** 62/100

### Issues Identified

1. **LCP Issue:** Hero image (2.5MB) loads slowly
2. **FID Issue:** Large JavaScript bundle (850KB) blocks main thread
3. **CLS Issue:** Images without dimensions cause layout shifts

### Optimization Plan

#### Fix LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)

**Problem:** Hero image is 2.5MB and loads slowly

**Solutions:**
\`\`\`html
<!-- Before: Unoptimized image -->
<img src="/hero.jpg" alt="Hero">

<!-- After: Optimized with modern formats -->
<picture>
  <source srcset="/hero.avif" type="image/avif">
  <source srcset="/hero.webp" type="image/webp">
  <img 
    src="/hero.jpg" 
    alt="Hero"
    width="1200" 
    height="600"
    loading="eager"
    fetchpriority="high"
  >
</picture>
\`\`\`

**Additional optimizations:**
- Compress image to < 200KB
- Use CDN for faster delivery
- Preload hero image: `<link as="image" href="/hero.avif">`

#### Fix FID (First Input Delay)

**Problem:** 850KB JavaScript bundle blocks main thread

**Solutions:**

1. **Code Splitting:**
\`\`\`javascript
// Before: Everything in one bundle
import { HeavyComponent } from './HeavyComponent';
import { Analytics } from './analytics';
import { ChatWidget } from './chat';

// After: Lazy load non-critical code
const HeavyComponent = lazy(() => import('./HeavyComponent'));
const ChatWidget = lazy(() => import('./chat'));

// Load analytics after page interactive
if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
  window.addEventListener('load', () => {
    import('./analytics').then(({ Analytics }) => {
      Analytics.init();
    });
  });
}
\`\`\`

2. **Remove Unused Dependencies:**
\`\`\`bash
# Analyze bundle
npx webpack-bundle-analyzer

# Remove unused packages
npm uninstall moment  # Use date-fns instead (smaller)
npm install date-fns
\`\`\`

3. **Defer Non-Critical Scripts:**
\`\`\`html
<!-- Before: Blocks rendering -->
<script src="/analytics.js"></script>

<!-- After: Deferred -->
<script src="/analytics.js" defer></script>
\`\`\`

#### Fix CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)

**Problem:** Images without dimensions cause layout shifts

**Solutions:**
\`\`\`html
<!-- Before: No dimensions -->
<img src="/product.jpg" alt="Product">

<!-- After: With dimensions -->
<img 
  src="/product.jpg" 
  alt="Product"
  width="400" 
  height="300"
  style="aspect-ratio: 4/3;"
>
\`\`\`

**For dynamic content:**
\`\`\`css
/* Reserve space for content that loads later */
.skeleton-loader {
  min-height: 200px;
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, #f0f0f0 25%, #e0e0e0 50%, #f0f0f0 75%);
  background-size: 200% 100%;
  animation: loading 1.5s infinite;
}

@keyframes loading {
  0% { background-position: 200% 0; }
  100% { background-position: -200% 0; }
}
\`\`\`

### Results After Optimization

- **LCP:** 1.8s ✅ (improved by 57%)
- **FID:** 45ms ✅ (improved by 75%)
- **CLS:** 0.05 ✅ (improved by 80%)
- **Lighthouse Score:** 94/100 ✅
`### Example 2: Reducing JavaScript Bundle Size`
## Bundle Size Optimization

### Current State
- **Total Bundle:** 850KB (gzipped: 280KB)
- **Main Bundle:** 650KB
- **Vendor Bundle:** 200KB
- **Load Time (3G):** 8.2s

### Analysis

\`\`\`bash
# Analyze bundle composition
npx webpack-bundle-analyzer dist/stats.json
\`\`\`

**Findings:**
1. Moment.js: 67KB (can replace with date-fns: 12KB)
2. Lodash: 72KB (using entire library, only need 5 functions)
3. Unused code: ~150KB of dead code
4. No code splitting: Everything in one bundle

### Optimization Steps

#### 1. Replace Heavy Dependencies

\`\`\`bash
# Remove moment.js (67KB) → Use date-fns (12KB)
npm uninstall moment
npm install date-fns

# Before
import moment from 'moment';
const formatted = moment(date).format('YYYY-MM-DD');

# After
import { format } from 'date-fns';
const formatted = format(date, 'yyyy-MM-dd');
\`\`\`

**Savings:** 55KB

#### 2. Use Lodash Selectively

\`\`\`javascript
// Before: Import entire library (72KB)
import _ from 'lodash';
const unique = _.uniq(array);

// After: Import only what you need (5KB)
import uniq from 'lodash/uniq';
const unique = uniq(array);

// Or use native methods
const unique = [...new Set(array)];
\`\`\`

**Savings:** 67KB

#### 3. Implement Code Splitting

\`\`\`javascript
// Next.js example
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';

// Lazy load heavy components
const Chart = dynamic(() => import('./Chart'), {
  loading: () => <div>Loading chart...</div>,
  ssr: false
});

const AdminPanel = dynamic(() => import('./AdminPanel'), {
  loading: () => <div>Loading...</div>
});

// Route-based code splitting (automatic in Next.js)
// pages/admin.js - Only loaded when visiting /admin
// pages/dashboard.js - Only loaded when visiting /dashboard
\`\`\`

#### 4. Remove Dead Code

\`\`\`javascript
// Enable tree shaking in webpack.config.js
module.exports = {
  mode: 'production',
  optimization: {
    usedExports: true,
    sideEffects: false
  }
};

// In package.json
{
  "sideEffects": false
}
\`\`\`

#### 5. Optimize Third-Party Scripts

\`\`\`html
<!-- Before: Loads immediately -->
<script src="https://analytics.com/script.js"></script>

<!-- After: Load after page interactive -->
<script>
  window.addEventListener('load', () => {
    const script = document.createElement('script');
    script.src = 'https://analytics.com/script.js';
    script.async = true;
    document.body.appendChild(script);
  });
</script>
\`\`\`

### Results

- **Total Bundle:** 380KB ✅ (reduced by 55%)
- **Main Bundle:** 180KB ✅
- **Vendor Bundle:** 80KB ✅
- **Load Time (3G):** 3.1s ✅ (improved by 62%)
`### Example 3: Image Optimization Strategy`
## Image Optimization

### Current Issues
- 15 images totaling 12MB
- No modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
- No responsive images
- No lazy loading

### Optimization Strategy

#### 1. Convert to Modern Formats

\`\`\`bash
# Install image optimization tools
npm install sharp

# Conversion script (optimize-images.js)
const sharp = require('sharp');
const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

async function optimizeImage(inputPath, outputDir) {
  const filename = path.basename(inputPath, path.extname(inputPath));
  
  // Generate WebP
  await sharp(inputPath)
    .webp({ quality: 80 })
    .toFile(path.join(outputDir, \`\${filename}.webp\`));
  
  // Generate AVIF (best compression)
  await sharp(inputPath)
    .avif({ quality: 70 })
    .toFile(path.join(outputDir, \`\${filename}.avif\`));
  
  // Generate optimized JPEG fallback
  await sharp(inputPath)
    .jpeg({ quality: 80, progressive: true })
    .toFile(path.join(outputDir, \`\${filename}.jpg\`));
}

// Process all images
const images = fs.readdirSync('./images');
images.forEach(img => {
  optimizeImage(\`./images/\${img}\`, './images/optimized');
});
\`\`\`

#### 2. Implement Responsive Images

\`\`\`html
<!-- Responsive images with modern formats -->
<picture>
  <!-- AVIF for browsers that support it (best compression) -->
  <source 
    srcset="
      /images/hero-400.avif 400w,
      /images/hero-800.avif 800w,
      /images/hero-1200.avif 1200w
    "
    type="image/avif"
    sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 50vw"
  >
  
  <!-- WebP for browsers that support it -->
  <source 
    srcset="
      /images/hero-400.webp 400w,
      /images/hero-800.webp 800w,
      /images/hero-1200.webp 1200w
    "
    type="image/webp"
    sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 50vw"
  >
  
  <!-- JPEG fallback -->
  <img 
    src="/images/hero-800.jpg"
    srcset="
      /images/hero-400.jpg 400w,
      /images/hero-800.jpg 800w,
      /images/hero-1200.jpg 1200w
    "
    sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 50vw"
    alt="Hero image"
    width="1200"
    height="600"
    loading="lazy"
  >
</picture>
\`\`\`

#### 3. Lazy Loading

\`\`\`html
<!-- Native lazy loading -->
<img 
  src="/image.jpg" 
  alt="Description"
  loading="lazy"
  width="800"
  height="600"
>

<!-- Eager loading for above-the-fold images -->
<img 
  src="/hero.jpg" 
  alt="Hero"
  loading="eager"
  fetchpriority="high"
>
\`\`\`

#### 4. Next.js Image Component

\`\`\`javascript
import Image from 'next/image';

// Automatic optimization
<Image
  src="/hero.jpg"
  alt="Hero"
  width={1200}
  height={600}
  priority  // For above-the-fold images
  quality={80}
/>

// Lazy loaded
<Image
  src="/product.jpg"
  alt="Product"
  width={400}
  height={300}
  loading="lazy"
/>
\`\`\`

### Results

| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|--------|--------|-------|-------------|
| Total Image Size | 12MB | 1.8MB | 85% reduction |
| LCP | 4.5s | 1.6s | 64% faster |
| Page Load (3G) | 18s | 4.2s | 77% faster |

Best Practices

✅ Do This

• Measure First - Always establish baseline metrics before optimizing
• Use Lighthouse - Run audits regularly to track progress
• Optimize Images - Use modern formats (WebP, AVIF) and responsive images
• Code Split - Break large bundles into smaller chunks
• Lazy Load - Defer non-critical resources
• Cache Aggressively - Set proper cache headers for static assets
• Minimize Main Thread Work - Keep JavaScript execution under 50ms chunks
• Preload Critical Resources - Use <link> for critical assets
• Use CDN - Serve static assets from CDN for faster delivery
• Monitor Real Users - Track Core Web Vitals from real users

❌ Don't Do This

• Don't Optimize Blindly - Measure first, then optimize
• Don't Ignore Mobile - Test on real mobile devices and slow networks
• Don't Block Rendering - Avoid render-blocking CSS and JavaScript
• Don't Load Everything Upfront - Lazy load non-critical resources
• Don't Forget Dimensions - Always specify image width/height
• Don't Use Synchronous Scripts - Use async or defer attributes
• Don't Ignore Third-Party Scripts - They often cause performance issues
• Don't Skip Compression - Always compress and minify assets

Common Pitfalls

Problem: Optimized for Desktop but Slow on Mobile

• Test on real mobile devices
• Use Chrome DevTools mobile throttling
• Optimize for 3G/4G networks
• Reduce JavaScript execution time

Copy
# Test with throttling
lighthouse https://yoursite.com --throttling.cpuSlowdownMultiplier=4

Problem: Large JavaScript Bundle

• Analyze bundle with webpack-bundle-analyzer
• Remove unused dependencies
• Implement code splitting
• Lazy load non-critical code

Copy
# Analyze bundle
npx webpack-bundle-analyzer dist/stats.json

Problem: Images Causing Layout Shifts

• Always specify width and height
• Use aspect-ratio CSS property
• Reserve space with skeleton loaders

Copy
img {
  aspect-ratio: 16 / 9;
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
}

Problem: Slow Server Response Time

• Implement server-side caching
• Use CDN for static assets
• Optimize database queries
• Consider static site generation (SSG)

Copy
// Next.js: Static generation
export async function getStaticProps() {
  const data = await fetchData();
  return {
    props: { data },
    revalidate: 60 // Regenerate every 60 seconds
  };
}

Performance Checklist

Images

• Convert to modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
• Implement responsive images
• Add lazy loading
• Specify dimensions (width/height)
• Compress images (< 200KB each)
• Use CDN for delivery

JavaScript

• Bundle size < 200KB (gzipped)
• Implement code splitting
• Lazy load non-critical code
• Remove unused dependencies
• Minify and compress
• Use async/defer for scripts

CSS

• Inline critical CSS
• Defer non-critical CSS
• Remove unused CSS
• Minify CSS files
• Use CSS containment

Caching

• Set cache headers for static assets
• Implement service worker
• Use CDN caching
• Cache API responses
• Version static assets

Core Web Vitals

• LCP < 2.5s
• FID < 100ms
• CLS < 0.1
• TTFB < 600ms
• TTI < 3.8s

Performance Tools

Measurement Tools

• Lighthouse - Comprehensive performance audit
• WebPageTest - Detailed waterfall analysis
• Chrome DevTools - Performance profiling
• PageSpeed Insights - Real user metrics
• Web Vitals Extension - Monitor Core Web Vitals

Analysis Tools

• webpack-bundle-analyzer - Visualize bundle composition
• source-map-explorer - Analyze bundle size
• Bundlephobia - Check package sizes before installing
• ImageOptim - Image compression tool

Monitoring Tools

• Google Analytics - Track Core Web Vitals
• Sentry - Performance monitoring
• New Relic - Application performance monitoring
• Datadog - Real user monitoring

Related Skills

• @react-best-practices - React performance patterns
• @frontend-dev-guidelines - Frontend development standards
• @systematic-debugging - Debug performance issues
• @senior-architect - Architecture for performance

Additional Resources

• Web.dev Performance
• Core Web Vitals
• Lighthouse Documentation
• MDN Performance Guide
• Next.js Performance
• Image Optimization Guide