Site health and performance – Glossary

Improve speed and stability. Use caching, compression, CDN, preload and preconnect, optimize images, and monitor Core Web Vitals. Trim third‑party scripts.

12 terms in this category

Foundations (6)

Use caching, compression, modern protocols, and connection hints to speed delivery.

Cache busting

Use fingerprinted filenames and proper cache headers to refresh assets reliably.

Caching

Stores pages and assets in the browser or server to speed up delivery, with tradeoffs for logged in users.

Compression

Enable Gzip or Brotli so HTML, CSS, and JS transfer faster.

Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A global network that serves content from nearby locations, improves speed, and pairs well with image optimization.

HTTP/2 and HTTP/3

Modern protocols that use multiplexing and better delivery for faster sites.

Preload and preconnect

Hints that help the browser fetch critical files sooner and open connections early.

Data and server performance (1)

Tune queries, indexes, and caching layers, measure latency and throughput.

Database performance

Watch query counts, add indexes, and use caching layers for speed.

Images and media (2)

Generate responsive formats, optimize size, lazy load, and respect focal points with alt text.

Image transforms

Generate responsive sizes and modern formats (AVIF, WebP), respect focal points for smart cropping.

Lazy loading

Images and embeds that defer offscreen content to speed up pages.

Metrics and monitoring (1)

Track Core Web Vitals, set practical thresholds, alert when performance degrades.

Core Web Vitals

LCP, CLS, and INP measure loading, visual stability, and interactivity against practical thresholds.

Routing and hygiene (2)

Keep redirects and canonicals consistent, trim third party scripts, maintain clean routes.

Redirects

Use 301 for permanent moves and 302 for temporary, align canonical URLs, trailing slash, and migration maps.

Third-party scripts

Measure impact, defer when possible, and remove tags you do not need.

About this glossary

I’m building this glossary to become a better developer and website strategist, in my ongoing quest to build clearer, better websites. It maps how terms relate, adds practical examples, and highlights best practices so I can communicate more clearly with clients. If it helps others too, great.

It’s a living resource, I aim to cite sources clearly. If you spot errors or omissions, please contact me so I can update it. Drafts may be assisted by AI, I review and fact check before publishing. For details on how I use AI, see AI Use at Webmarks.