Performance Glossary

Here you can find important tech terms and definitions, explained in a simple and clear way.

Variable Font

Variable Fonts are a modern advancement in Typography that consolidates what used to be several different font files (e.g., thin, regular, bold) into one single, smaller file.

Technical
Performance

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic)

SVG is the preferred format for logos, Iconography, and simple Graphic Design elements on modern websites. Because it is vector-based (using mathematical formulas rather than pixels), it offers two key advantages: scalability and performance.

Technical
Performance

Render Blocking

Render Blocking code is a major cause of slow Page Speed and a poor Lighthouse Score. When a browser encounters a large, external JavaScript or CSS file, it stops rendering the page until that file is downloaded and executed.

Technical
Performance
Development

Reflow

Reflow is a heavy computational task that slows down a web page's rendering speed and causes Jitter in Animation or scrolling. It is triggered by changes to element dimensions, content, or specific CSS properties.

Technical
Performance
Development

Page Speed

Page Speed is a critical metric that impacts both user experience and search engine ranking. It is a major component of the Lighthouse Score.

Technical
Performance
SEO

Lighthouse Score

The Lighthouse Score provides a benchmark (from 0 to 100) for the technical health of a website. Achieving a high score (typically 90+) is a goal for every modern developer. The Performance score is influenced by factors like: page speed and asset optimization.

Technical
Performance
SEO

Jitter (in animation)

Jitter is the visual symptom of the browser struggling to render visual changes at a consistent frame rate (ideally 60 frames per second). It's caused when the JavaScript or CSS used for Animation is computationally expensive or forces the browser to frequently recalculate the layout (known as Reflow or layout thrashing).

Development
Performance
UI-UX

Asset Optimization

This technical process ensures that a website's media files (Assets) are as small as possible without sacrificing visual quality, leading to faster loading times. Techniques include: Image compression, lazy loading, and minification.

Technical
Performance
Development