How to speed up website loading: best practices for Ukrainian developers

Website loading speed is one of the key factors that affect the success of any online project. For Ukrainian developers, it is important to understand that a fast website improves user experience, reduces bounce rates, and positively affects search engine rankings. In this article, we will look at the best practices that will help speed up the loading of your website.

Image optimisation

Large image sizes are often the main reason why websites load slowly. To fix this, several strategies are used:

• Reduce image sizes: compress images without losing quality using tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim.
• Image formats: choose modern formats like WebP, which are lighter than traditional JPEG or PNG.

Use caching

Caching allows you to store static website resources such as images, CSS and JavaScript files on users’ devices. This significantly reduces the loading time when users visit the site again. Use browser caching and server caching to optimise your website’s performance.

Reduce the number of HTTP requests

Each page element (image, CSS, JavaScript) requires a separate request to the server. To reduce their number, you can:

• Combine CSS and JavaScript files into one file.
• Use sprites for images, where several icons are combined into one file.

Asynchronous loading of JavaScript and CSS

With asynchronous JavaScript and CSS loading, a page can load faster because these files are loaded in parallel instead of sequentially. This allows you to reduce the time it takes to display the main content on the site.

Using a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN is a network of servers located in different parts of the world that store copies of your website. This allows users to download the site from the server closest to them, which significantly reduces the waiting time, especially for visitors from other countries.

Minify files

Minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files is the process of removing unnecessary spaces, comments, and characters that do not affect the website’s performance. This reduces the size of files and speeds up their loading. Tools such as UglifyJS or CSSNano can help you automatically minify files.

Use responsive design

A mobile-optimised website not only provides a better user experience, but also reduces loading times. Responsive design allows you to adjust content and images to different screen sizes, which helps to reduce the amount of data downloaded.

Database optimisation

For websites that use CMS or other content management systems, it is important to regularly clean and optimise the database. Removing unnecessary records, such as spam comments or inactive plugins, helps reduce server load and speed up access to data.

Use lightweight plugins

For WordPress and other CMS sites, it is important to choose plugins that do not create an additional load on the site. Preference should be given to lightweight and well-optimised plugins.

Placement on fast hosting

The overall loading speed of your website depends on the hosting provider you choose. Choose a hosting with modern technologies, SSD drives, DDoS protection, and the ability to scale resources for large projects.

Website loading speed is not only a technical aspect, but also an important component of business success. A fast website improves the user experience, increases conversions, and helps improve search engine rankings. By following these recommendations, you can ensure not only fast loading of your website, but also a positive visitor experience.