Latency

Goals

1. Describe latency.
2. Minimize latency when designing web applications.

What

In the context of the web, latency refers to the delay between a user’s action and the response from a web server.

It is typically measured in milliseconds (ms) and can affect the overall user experience.

Why

Reducing latency is crucial for improving web performance and ensuring a fast, responsive experience for users.

Factors Contributing to Web Latency

1. Network Latency: The time it takes for data to travel from the user’s device to the web server and back. This can be influenced by the physical distance between the user and the server, as well as the quality and speed of the network connection.

2. Server Processing Time: The time it takes for the web server to process the request and generate a response. This includes the time spent querying databases, executing server-side scripts, and rendering content.

3. DNS Resolution Time: The time it takes to translate a domain name (like www.example.com) into an IP address that can be used to route the request to the appropriate server.

4. Content Download Time: The time it takes to download the requested content, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and other resources, from the server to the user’s device.

5. Browser Rendering Time: The time it takes for the user’s browser to process and render the downloaded content into a visible web page.

Minimizing Latency (How To )

Techniques for reducing latency include optimizing network connections, using content delivery networks (CDNs), minimizing server processing times, and optimizing front-end code and assets.