Under the Hood: Making It Blazing Fast

Have you ever wondered what makes this website tick? Let's delve into the tech powering it, and why I opted for a speed-first approach.

For many years now, I've relied on Blogger as my blogging platform. While it might not be the flashiest option on the market, it gets the job done for me. It's familiar, user-friendly, and allows me to focus on the content itself. Plus, it's powered by Google. Their infrastructure is second to none, so why wouldn't you choose the best?

But content is only half the battle. A slow website is a frustrating one, so I've taken steps to ensure this blog loads lightning fast. The foundation for this speed comes from the simple design. Less clutter means less for your browser to process.

However, I didn't stop there.  Behind the scenes, some prefetch magic is happening. This clever trick tells your browser to anticipate what it might need next (such as javascript), pre-loading it in the background. The result? Pages that appear to load instantly as you click on them. Quicklink is also used, loading links in the viewport before you click on them, helping you navigate this site with speed. 

To further enhance the experience, lazy loading is also in play. Images don't load all at once; instead, they appear smoothly as you scroll down the page, right when you need them. It's a subtle detail, but it contributes to that overall feeling of seamless browsing. As well as lazy load, I utilise next generation images. WebP images are typically 30% smaller in file size when compared to a regular JPG. 

The homepage takes things a step further with infinite scroll, initially loading only 4 posts. But, just like your favourite social media feeds, new content loads automatically as you reach the bottom of the page. It's a convenient way to keep exploring without needing to click through multiple pages.

The end result? Current estimates show the site home page loads almost entirely within a mere 2 seconds. That's less than two seconds to go from clicking a link to having the website at your fingertips! Speed test analysis by Debugbear. 

So, the next time you browse here, know that there's a bit more going on under the hood than meets the eye. It's all about creating a smooth, frustration-free experience that lets you focus on the content itself. I hope it works well for you.

Making It Fast