By Shad Super in Questions —

How Can I Implement Resource Consolidation to Reduce Network Requests and Improve Core Web Vitals Scores Like LCP and FID?

Summary

Resource consolidation can significantly improve web performance metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and First Input Delay (FID), which are critical to Core Web Vitals. These performance improvements can be achieved by minimizing server requests, reducing asset delivery times, and optimizing resource utilization. The following guide provides comprehensive methodologies to achieve these goals.

Resource Consolidation Strategies

Merge and Minify Files

Combine smaller files into a single larger file to reduce the number of requests made to the server. Additionally, remove unnecessary white spaces, line breaks, and comments to reduce file size [Optimal Encoding and Transfer, 2023]. Do this for both JavaScript and CSS files.

Use Sprites for Multiple Images

An image sprite is a collection of images combined into one. Using sprites reduces multiple network requests into a single request. CSS can be used to only display a specific part of the sprite image at a time [CSS Sprites, 2023].

Faster Asset Delivery

Use HTTP/2

HTTP/2 allows multiple requests and responses to be multiplexed over a single TCP connection. This reduces the overhead of creating multiple TCP connections and results in faster asset delivery [HTTP/2, 2023].

Implement Caching

Use HTTP caching headers to store a copy of the resources in the user's browser. This cuts down on network requests on repeat visits as assets can be fetched from the cache [HTTP Caching, 2023].

CDN and Edge Caching

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) cache resources at edge servers closer to users, reducing latency. Additionally, some CDNs support edge computing, enabling server-side logic execution closer to users, speeding up responses and reducing server load [Why Performance Matters, 2023].

Rendering Optimization

Minimize Render Blocking

Render-blocking resources like CSS and JavaScript can delay rendering of page content. Use strategies like deferring non-critical JavaScript, inlining critical CSS, and using media queries to split CSS into smaller files to speed up rendering [Render-Blocking Resources, 2022].

Lazy Loading

Lazy loading defers loading of non-critical resources until they're needed. For instance, images below the viewport can be loaded only when the user scrolls to that part of the page, reducing initial load time [Lazy-Loading Images, 2022].

Conclusion

Through effective resource consolidation and optimizing delivery and rendering strategies, you can significantly improve your website's Core Web Vitals. Implementing these best practices will reduce network requests, speed up content delivery, and enhance user experience.

References