> Markdown version of [/videos/903-catching-up-on-the-basics-you-don-t-really-need-that-much-code](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/903-catching-up-on-the-basics-you-don-t-really-need-that-much-code). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Catching up on the basics you don't really need that much code Microsoft Edge boosted UI speed by 42% just by dropping React for native web components. Discover why the fastest code is the code you never write. - **Speakers:** [Chris Heilmann](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@chris-heilmann) - **Event:** WeAreDevelopers LIVE - **Published:** June 5, 2024 - **Duration:** 14:44 - **URL:** https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/903-catching-up-on-the-basics-you-don-t-really-need-that-much-code ## Summary Web performance optimization often feels overwhelming due to a constant influx of new acronyms, tools, and metrics, but the most effective solutions frequently involve simplifying code and trusting native browser capabilities. Rather than simply chasing Lighthouse numbers, developers must understand the psychology of site speed; unresponsive interfaces or unexpected layout shifts make users feel frustrated and foolish. To combat this, foundational practices like serving static HTML, optimizing image formats like WebP, defining explicit image dimensions to prevent page jumping, and utilizing content delivery networks (CDNs) remain critical starting points. Expanding on these basics, genuine performance analysis requires looking beyond ideal conditions. Testing on high-end developer machines with fast connectivity hides real-world bottlenecks, proving that fast networks do not guarantee fast rendering on CPU-constrained devices. Developers are strongly encouraged to keep "crappy old laptops" for accurate, real-world user simulation. Deeper technical improvements often require understanding browser mechanics rather than writing more frontend logic. For instance, strategically optimizing the layout of the HTML `<head>` document can unexpectedly shave seconds off parsing and rendering times without altering any core functionality. Engineering teams must also carefully weigh the trade-offs between server-side rendering (SSR) and client-side rendering (CSR), acknowledging that relying heavily on the client can easily backfire on low-RAM mobile devices. Furthermore, upcoming browser specifications like the compute pressure API will allow browsers to communicate critical system stress directly, enabling web applications to dynamically degrade features or halt complex animations to preserve hardware resources. Ultimately, the most profound insight in modern web development is to "bet on the platform." Modern native HTML elements—such as the `dialog` tag, `popover`, `datalist`, and the `ping` attribute—now natively handle interactions that previously required heavy, customized JavaScript libraries. Browsers are inherently heavily optimized to perform natively; Microsoft Edge itself saw a 42% UI speed improvement merely by replacing React with native web components. By utilizing Chrome DevTools and mapping Core Web Vitals to real user behaviors, teams can justify removing unused features based on telemetry. Embracing the reality that "the best performing code is the one you never have to write" empowers engineering teams to build faster, more resilient applications by simply letting the browser do its job. **Keywords:** web performance optimization, psychology of site speed, core web vitals CWV, chrome devtools analysis, html document head ordering, server-side rendering SSR, client-side rendering CSR, compute pressure API, native html capabilities, javascript bundle reduction, webp image optimization, lazy loading implementation, native web components, browser rendering mechanics, content delivery network CDN ## Chapters 1. **Introduction to web performance concepts and resources** (00:02) — Navigating the overwhelmed landscape of web performance with curated community resources. 1. **Psychological impact of site speed and human happiness** (02:08) — How poor website performance and slow interfaces frustrate users and ruin the overall user experience. 1. **Learning web performance basics and core web vitals** (03:18) — Discovering introductory courses and understanding standard metrics for measuring web page performance. 1. **Navigating browser developer tools for performance analysis** (05:08) — Taking advantage of browser developer tools in chromium browsers for detailed performance troubleshooting. 1. **Optimizing server locations and head HTML document order** (05:39) — Improving load times by choosing appropriate host locations and sorting head document elements properly. 1. **Applying quick performance wins to personal websites** (07:33) — Implementing simple optimizations like static assets, standard typography, and proper image loading behaviors. 1. **Testing application performance on slow devices and networks** (08:32) — Simulating real-world conditions by continuously testing code on constrained hardware and varied internet connections. 1. **Understanding browser rendering processes and compute pressure** (10:12) — Gaining deeper insights into how browsers paint layouts and dynamically responding to system load using new APIs. 1. **Betting on native web platform features over JavaScript** (11:34) — Removing bloated frontend frameworks and relying on native web components to significantly boost rendering speeds. 1. **Replacing JavaScript functionality with standard HTML elements** (12:51) — Utilizing modern HTML attributes and elements for common interactions to systematically minimize the JavaScript payload. ## Related Moments - 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