Time to First Byte (TTFB) is a metric that measures the time it takes for a user’s browser to receive the first byte of data from the server after making an HTTP request. It is an important component of web performance as it affects how quickly a website begins to load.
Why TTFB is important?
-
User Experience:
- A lower TTFB means that the server responds quickly, leading to faster page loads and better user experience.
-
SEO:
- Search engines like Google consider TTFB as a ranking factor. Faster websites tend to rank higher in search results.
How to improve TTFB?
CDN
A CDN stores copies of your content in multiple locations worldwide reducing the distance data has to travel
Database
- Index your database: proper indexing can speed up database queries
- Optimize queries: ensure your queries are efficient and avoid unnecessary data
- Use cache
Local storage (cache)
Local storage can reduce API calls
Optimize Code
- Optimize your logic to reduce the time taken to process requests
- Use background jobs for tasks that don’t need to be processed synchronously
- Minimize Third-party requests