by Alex Gurkin | Updated: Oct 13, 2023Contents
Core Web Vitals in my Web Development Experience
As a web developer, ensuring optimal user experience is crucial. One of the key aspects that I have come across in my web development experience is the concept of Core Web Vitals. Core Web Vitals are a set of specific metrics that Google uses to measure and evaluate user experience on websites. These metrics focus on three main areas: loading, interactivity, and visual stability. In this article, I will discuss these metrics and share my experiences in optimizing them.
1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Largest Contentful Paint measures the time it takes for the largest element in the viewport to fully render. To optimize LCP, I ensure that the main content of my webpages loads quickly. This can be achieved by optimizing images and prioritizing the loading of critical resources. Lazy loading is another technique that I employ to defer the loading of non-critical elements, thereby improving the overall LCP.
2. First Input Delay (FID)
First Input Delay measures the time it takes for the webpage to respond to a user’s first interaction, such as clicking a button or tapping a link. To improve FID, I focus on minimizing JavaScript execution time by eliminating any unnecessary blocking scripts. By optimizing and deferring JavaScript, I ensure that the webpage remains responsive and interactive.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Cumulative Layout Shift measures the visual stability of a webpage by quantifying unexpected layout shifts that occur during the page loading process. To minimize CLS, I make sure to specify width and height dimensions for images and videos. This prevents content from shifting as resources load. Additionally, I avoid using dynamically injected content that can cause layout shifts.
Optimizing Core Web Vitals is not only important for providing a better user experience but also for improving search engine rankings. By focusing on metrics like Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, and Cumulative Layout Shift, I have been able to enhance the performance and usability of the websites I develop. In an increasingly competitive online landscape, paying attention to Core Web Vitals is essential for staying ahead and delivering websites that users love to visit.
