11 Proven Ways to Optimize Website Performance

Website performance optimization or simply, website optimization is a process of improving a website’s loading speed in the browser. It generally involves editing the website to optimize scripts, HTML, or CSS code and reducing the number of web page components like images, scripts, or video for faster loading.

What is web performance?

Web performance is the speed in which web pages are loaded and displayed on the user’s web browser.

The following are the website performance metrics-

#1 DNS lookup time

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the phonebook of the Internet. Users access online information through domain names, like www.mantralabsglobal.com. Web browsers interact through Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DNS translates domain names to IP addresses so that browsers can load Internet resources.

#2 Initial connection

It is the time for a handshake between the browser and the server to retrieve the contents of the page. Handshaking is a process by which two devices initiate communications (here- browser and server). It initiates with the browser sending a message to the server indicating that it wants to establish a connection.

#3 Waiting time (TTFB)

It is the time spent waiting for the initial response, also known as the Time To First Byte. This time captures the latency (the delay between the instruction and data transfer) of a round trip to the server. It also accounts the time spent waiting for the server’s response.

#4 Download Time

It is the time spent receiving the response data.

11 Proven website performance optimization techniques

You’ll need to consider the following to enhance a website’s performance.

#1 Reduce DNS lookup time

Implement the following to reduce DNS lookup time-

Reduce the number of hostnames, that are used to generate a web page.
Host third party resources locally, which automatically reduces the DNS lookup.
Use DNS Cache, where cache time can be defined to different types of hosts, so it reduces the lookup time.
DNS prefetching: allows browsers to perform DNS lookup in the background while the user browses the current page.
Defer parsing Javascripts, which are not needed while loading a web page but render blockers.
Use a fast DNS provider: choose the DNS providers whose lookup time is minimal.

#2 Browser/Web cache

It is a temporary storage location on a computer for files that a browser downloads to display websites. Locally cached files may include any documents from a website, such as HTML files, CSS style sheets, JavaScript scripts, graphic images, and other multimedia content. When a user revisits the website, the browser checks for the updated content and downloads only those files or what is not already present in the cache. This reduces bandwidth usage on both the user and server-side and loads the page faster.

#3 Image Optimization

It is a process of delivering high-quality images in the right format, dimension, size, and resolution while keeping the smallest possible size. There are different ways to optimize images. You can resize, cache, or compress the image size.

#4 HTML, CSS, and JS Minification

While moving the source of website production, minify the contents of source code (Uglify), to reduce the overall size of the page. It will enhance the download speed for the page content on the web browser.

#5 HTML hierarchy

Maintain the standard HTML hierarchy, which means- push all the render-blocking scripts to the bottom of the page and keep only required assets on the header part of the load content. This way, the user doesn’t have to wait to see the actual page because of render-blocking scripts.

#6 Use Sprites

Sprite images are the group of images, which are combined to create a single image for a web page. As the number of server requests affects the bandwidth and loses the page speed score, it is better to combine all the possible images into sprite images.

#7 Enable compression

The web standards suggest GZIP compression. It is effective for optimum bandwidth utilization while rendering the contents. Let’s say- the overall size of the assets is 900KB. Enabling GZIP compression can compress the content size to at least 600KB. This enhances the bandwidth and pages render at a faster rate.

#8 Use secure channels/protocols

Prefer using secured channels to load the web page contents. It prevents the malware intro into the page.

#9 Reduce the number of redirections

Use a very less number of redirections in the websites. The introduction of too many redirections will consume the DNS lookup time and affect the page load time.

#10 Use CDN

Use CDN paths for the static resources, which enhances the load time performance of the website. CDN is useful for pre-caching static resources, which helps in reducing the time-to-index and hence reduces the load time. Also, distributed data centers host CDNs. Therefore, the nearest CDN host will fetch the assets- boosting the performance of the website.

#11 Avoid hotlinking

Hotlinking is the process of directly using the content from another site into the source website. Avoiding this will affect the bandwidth of both sites.

Also read – Everything you need to know about Test Automation as a Service.

why do we need webpage performance optimization

Do you have any questions regarding your website performance? Feel free to comment or write to us at hello@mantralabsglobal.com & stay tuned for our next article on 8 Factors that Affect Page Load Time & Website Optimization Strategies.

In the world of product design, consistency is the cornerstone of delivering a seamless user experience. As digital products evolve and scale, the challenge of maintaining design consistency across multiple platforms, teams, and touchpoints becomes more complex. This is where design systems come in. A design system is a comprehensive set of guidelines, components, and tools that help designers and developers create a consistent and cohesive user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). From a designer’s perspective, building and maintaining a design system requires a strategic approach to ensure scalability, flexibility, and alignment with business goals.

Source: https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/design-system)

Why Design Systems Matter?

Design systems are more than just style guides or pattern libraries. They offer a unified language for design and development, bridging the gap between creativity and functionality. Here are a few reasons why they are critical:

Consistency Across Products

One of the primary goals of a design system is to ensure uniformity across different platforms and devices. When users interact with a product, whether on a website or a mobile app, they expect a consistent experience. A well-implemented design system ensures that visual elements, interactions, and behaviors are aligned, offering a familiar and intuitive experience for users.

2. Faster Iteration

With a design system in place, teams can reuse components and patterns rather than reinventing the wheel for each new feature. This speeds up the design and development process, allowing teams to focus on solving new problems instead of reworking existing designs. For designers, it means less time spent on repetitive tasks and more time dedicated to innovation.

3. Scalability

As products grow and new features are added, maintaining a coherent UI/UX without a design system can become chaotic. A design system provides a scalable framework, enabling teams to add new elements or modules without compromising the overall consistency of the product.

4. Improved Collaboration

A design system fosters collaboration between designers, developers, and other stakeholders by providing a shared language and reference point. This ensures that design decisions are communicated effectively, reducing friction and misunderstandings between teams.

Building a Design System: A Designer’s Perspective

Designing a system from scratch can seem like a daunting task, but with a clear roadmap and understanding of core principles, it becomes a powerful tool for creating scalable and user-centered products.

1. Define the Core Principles

Before diving into visual components, it’s essential to establish the core principles of your design system. These principles serve as the foundation and guide decision-making throughout the process. Ask yourself:

• What are the key values of your brand?

• How should the design reflect the needs and emotions of users?

• What goals are you trying to achieve with your design system (e.g., accessibility, flexibility, innovation)?

For instance, if accessibility is a top priority, you’ll need to ensure that your design system accommodates users with different abilities, by providing color contrast guidelines, clear typographic hierarchies, and accessible components.

2. Create a Unified Visual Language

Once the principles are established, the next step is creating a cohesive visual language. This includes defining elements such as:

• Color Palette: A well-structured color palette ensures harmony across different UI components. It’s crucial to include primary, secondary, and accent colors, along with usage guidelines to avoid inconsistency.

• Typography: Define a typography system that establishes hierarchies and clarity, including font styles, sizes, line heights, and spacing. Consistent typography helps users navigate content effortlessly.

• Spacing and Grids: An established grid system ensures a balanced layout and harmony between different UI elements. Proper spacing guidelines prevent crowded or misaligned components.

• Iconography and Illustrations: Design guidelines for icons and illustrations help maintain visual consistency. Icons should follow a standard style (outlined, filled) and size, ensuring they align with the overall visual language.

Iconography and Illustrations: Design guidelines for icons and illustrations help maintain visual consistency. Icons should follow a standard style (outlined, filled) and size, ensuring they align with the overall visual language.

Image Source: https://designerup.co/blog/10-best-design-systems-and-how-to-learn-and-steal-from-them/)

3. Design Reusable Components

A design system is incomplete without reusable UI components. These components include buttons, forms, modals, and navigation elements that can be used across various features and pages. Each component should be:

• Modular: Components should be flexible and adaptable for different contexts. For example, a button should have variations for different states (hover, active, disabled) and types (primary, secondary, destructive).

• Documented: Each component needs comprehensive documentation that explains how it should be used, its variants, and the rules governing its application. This ensures consistency when different team members use the same component.

4. Implement Accessibility Guidelines

Accessibility should be at the forefront of every design system. As a designer, consider:

• Color Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background for readability.

• Keyboard Navigation: Ensure that interactive components are navigable via keyboard for users who rely on keyboard shortcuts.

• Responsive Design: Components should be responsive, adapting seamlessly across different screen sizes and devices.

• Assistive Technologies: Design components should be compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies to provide an inclusive experience.

Maintaining a Design System: Evolving with the Product

Once a design system is in place, the work doesn’t stop there. Maintaining it requires ongoing effort as the product evolves and new design challenges emerge. Here’s how designers can ensure the design system remains relevant and effective:

1. Regular Audits and Updates

A design system should be treated as a living document that evolves with the product. Regular audits are necessary to identify outdated or unused components. Designers should collaborate with developers to ensure new features are aligned with the existing design system, and updates should be documented to avoid fragmentation.

2. Version Control and Documentation

Version control is essential for keeping track of changes in the design system. Documenting why and how changes are made ensures that the design system grows in an organized manner. It also helps onboard new team members quickly, as they can reference updated guidelines.

3. Foster Collaboration Across Teams

Designers need to maintain an open line of communication with developers and other teams using the design system. Tools like Figma, Sketch, and Zeplin allow designers to share components and guidelines in real-time, fostering collaboration and ensuring that everyone is aligned.

Some well-known examples of design systems that have set benchmarks in the industry:

1. Google Material Design

URL: Material Design
Overview: Google’s Material Design is one of the most comprehensive design systems available. It provides guidelines on how to create visual, motion, and interaction design across platforms and devices. Material Design is known for its grid-based layouts, responsive animations, and depth effects like shadows and lighting.
Features:
- Comprehensive color palettes, typography, and iconography.
- Extensive component library (buttons, cards, etc.).
- Customizable UI components for both web and mobile applications.

2. Salesforce Lightning Design System

URL: Salesforce Lightning
Overview: Salesforce’s Lightning Design System provides a comprehensive library of UI components and resources to help build applications on the Salesforce platform. It ensures a consistent experience across Salesforce products and enables developers to create custom apps easily.
Features:
- Ready-to-use components, design tokens, and code snippets.
- Comprehensive accessibility guidelines to ensure inclusivity.
- Detailed documentation for developers to integrate components into Salesforce applications.

3. Microsoft Fluent Design System

URL: Fluent Design
Overview: Fluent Design is Microsoft’s design system, created to provide an engaging and scalable UI across all Microsoft products. It is heavily focused on interaction, animation, and motion while ensuring accessibility across various device ecosystems.
Features:
- Focus on depth, motion, and light to create modern and interactive UIs.
- Cross-platform components supporting web, desktop, and mobile applications.
- Accessible components with detailed guidelines for developers.

Conclusion

Building and maintaining a design system is an investment that pays off in the long run. It ensures consistency across your product, improves collaboration between teams, and allows for faster iteration and scalability. For designers, a design system is more than a collection of reusable components — it’s a framework that enables you to create user-centric products with confidence and clarity. By embracing modularity, documentation, and accessibility, you’ll ensure that your design system remains a valuable asset as your product grows.

About the Author:

Shristi is a creative professional with a passion for visual storytelling. She recently transitioned from the world of video and motion graphics to the exciting field of product design at Mantra Labs. When she’s not designing, she enjoys watching movies, traveling, and sharing her experiences through vlogs.