Lightning-Fast Web Performance Online Course from WebPageTest

Quick Course Intro

What You’ll Learn

In this lecture series, you'll gain a well-rounded understanding of front-end web performance that'll empower you to deliver sites quickly and reliably.

You’ll learn how to effectively think about and prioritize web performance today.
You’ll learn about common performance metrics, which ones matter most, and how to identify performance bottlenecks that impact the user experience.
You’ll learn how to fix performance issues, employ processes to prevent regressions, and build in ways that prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Topics Covered

Convincing stakeholders to prioritize performance
Measuring and benchmarking perceived performance
Understanding the web page loading process
Identifying server-level performance hangups
Knowing how and when file size matters
Evaluating patterns for loading CSS, JavaScript, Images, SVG, and Fonts
Optimizing the critical path to perceived performance
Helpful Tools and libraries
HTTP/2 and its helpful additions
Content Delivery Networks and edge cache transformations
Enhancing a user interface optimistically, yet safely
Client-side caching strategies
Retaining performance after page load
Service Workers for spotty or offline connectivity
Monitoring, maintaining, and defending a fast site as it evolves
Making existing sites faster and more resilient

See what you'll get

These clips are taken from various points throughout the lecture series and illustrate the style of presentation you can expect to see throughout.

...from 3. Metrics

...from 2. Why Performance Matters

...from 4. Identifying Problems

...from 5. Making Things Faster

Is This For Me?

This lecture series is designed to cover performance holistically, starting with the basics and continuing to touch on points both technical and not. The course does not assume any knowledge of performance concepts, but it is aimed at Front-End Developers and UI/UX designers who are comfortable writing HTML, CSS, and have a basic knowledge of JavaScript.

If you're a designer or developer looking to gain a better understanding of how your decisions and company culture impacts your ability to deliver quickly and resiliently, this is the course for you.

Start watching the course and see. It's free!

Start Now

Start The Course!

This free course consists of a series of video lectures that combine screencasts and narrated slides. Closed captioning is provided and a PDF is included with each video for links to resources mentioned within. Some videos require signing up for a free WebPageTest account.

Welcome (02:26 mins)
An introduction to the course and and overview of how you can expect the subject matter to be divided up.

Additional Section Content
- PDF slides/links
Why Performance Matters (15:47 mins)

An top-down look at how performance impacts user experience and other concerns on the web today.

To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!

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Metrics! How do we define fast? (24:36 mins)

A tour of the common metrics that performance tools and web developers use to measure and compare webpage performance and usability.

To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!

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Identifying Performance Problems (49:37 mins)

A deep dive into the process of using popular performance tools to find and diagnose issues with webpage performance.

To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!

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Making Things Faster
1. Optimizing Files (27:25 mins)
  
  Optimizing files is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to improve your site's ability to perform.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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2. Initial bytes (09:42 mins)
  
  Learn about the fundamentals of initial page delivery and what can cause it to be slow.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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3. Initial Paints (26:59 mins)
  
  Explore the bottlenecks between initial bytes and initial page rendering and how to streamline them.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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4. LCP and Meaningful Paints (44:04 mins)
  
  A look at the conditions that contribute to large contentful paints and how to speed them up.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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5. Getting Interactive (14:32 mins)
  
  A look at the delays between when a page looks usable and actually responds to user interaction and how to mitigate them.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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6. for Returning Visits (21:30 mins)
  
  Good performance considers the holistic user experience, and many optimizations can make recurring visits faster and more resilient.
  
  To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!
  
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Wrapping up (01:52 mins)

A look back through all that we've covered.

To view the rest of videos in this course, you'll need a WebPageTest account. It's free!

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About Your Host

Scott Jehl, author of Responsible Responsive Design

Scott Jehl is a Senior Experience Engineer at WebPageTest (by Catchpoint) who lives in New York City. Scott is a tireless advocate of practices that ensure web access for all. He is a frequent presenter at conferences throughout the world.

Scott is the author of Responsible Responsive Design (2014, A Book Apart), and co-author of Designing with Progressive Enhancement (2010, New Riders). Scott also loves to surf.

Find Scott

Questions about the course? Please reach out!

Lightning-Fast Web Performance