“Will WebAssembly replace JavaScript by 20XX?” This is one of those “sensationalizing” news of the moment, right? But still: if we were to run a WebAssembly vs JavaScript performance comparison, which one would be the winner?
And would we have the same winner for different implementations?
We're all looking forward to the future of web development now that WebAssembly has come around to “tempt” us with near-native performance to the browser.
Yet, most of us still write code in JavaScript, despite the predictions of its “imminent extinction”. And there still are use cases where JS outperforms WASM.
So, let's find out:
exactly when JavaScript performs better that WebAssembly
how WebAssembly works and what makes it such a great fit for the web
whether WASM is, indeed, faster than JavaScript and when precisely
1. The Rise of WebAssembly: The First Alternative to JS for Web Development
Just think about it:
We've been having JavaScript as the one and only programming language to be used natively in web browsers and then... WebAssembly stepped in.
“But what is WebAssembly more precisely?” Is it a really an assembly language, like its name suggests? Well, here's a hopefully clear enough definition for you to ponder on:
WASM is a new type of code — with a small-sized fast binary format — for modern browsers. A “compile target”, if you wish.
One that you get to use for compiling any programming language (JS here included).
And NO:
It is not an assembly language, it's not built for a specific machine.
And no, you don't write code in WebAssembly: you use it to compile any given language.
What it does is compile higher level languages and then run those web apps in the browser a lot faster than JavaScript (due to its lightweight, low-level binary format, remember?)
2. WebAssembly vs JavaScript: Essential Differences
Now that we've seen what WebAssembly is and what it is not, let me briefly outline the key features that set our 2 “contestants” apart:
JavaScript:
it's dynamically typed
it's highly flexible
it's delivered in human-readable code
WebAssembly:
it's just fast(er)
it's delivered via a small-sized binary format
it's strongly typed
3. How Does WebAssembly Work? What's Behind Its “Near-Native Performance”?
“Why is WebAssembly faster? How does it work?”
Here's WASM in action:
you, the developer, write the code for your web app (in any programming language)
next, you compile it into WebAssembly bytecode
then, this code is run in the web browser, where it turns into native machine code and... executed.
And it gets loaded, parsed, and executed way faster compared to JavaScript.
Why?
Because its binaries are lighter than the textual JS files and, therefore, faster to decode...
4. 3 Performance-Intensive Use Cases for WebAssembly
Before I run an “enlightening” WebAssembly vs JavaScript performance comparison, let me highlight the use cases where WASM “shines supreme” as a web performance “booster.
First of all, when you say “common uses cases for WebAssembly”, think about all those performance-critical cases:
video editing
3D rendering
video games
music streaming
encryption
image recognition
WebAssembly's built as a target for writing in-browser software.
In short: think of all those use cases where JavaScript would usually struggle to reach the needed level of performance.
And now, let's get specific:
porting a desktop app to the web: WebAssembly supports those scenarios that go beyond GUI delivered via HTML
high-performance code already existing in a targetable language: deploy it as a WebAssembly module; here, you could keep the less performance-critical elements in JavaScript
high-performance code to be written from the ground up: where, obviously, asm.js is not a suitable choice
In short:
with WebAssembly there's only one step to complete — the compilation step — for running your app in any browser; portability is one of its main strengths
if top performance's critical for your web app, you might want to consider WebAssembly as an alternative to JavaScript
5. WebAssembly vs JavaScript: Performance Comparison
Now that we've settled that WebAssembly is usually faster than JS, let's:
find out when precisely. When does WASM outperform JS?
dig some more into the load of features that enable WebAssembly to perform better
discover all those use cases where JS can't be “dethroned”
5.1. WebAssembly's binaries are faster to download and to execute
“Why?” Because they're smaller than JS's textual files.
By comparison, JavaScript would need to:
parse
compile
optimize
… the code before executing it in the browser.
Although it's:
easy to write
doesn't need to get compiled ahead (being a dynamically typed language)
… JavaScript still needs more time to do all the needed work before executing the code.
5.2. With WebAssembly, memory gets managed manually
In other words: there's no garbage pile-up to impact performance.
5.3. WebAssembly reduces the initial load time
Any WebAssembly vs JavaScript performance analysis would point out that WASM comes with some significant time-parsing improvements.
Here's why it decodes much faster than JavaScript:
it has a binary format
it's statically typed (it doesn't need to “guess” what types should be used)
it performs its optimization work in advance while compiling the source code
By comparison, JavaScript would need to:
first turn text into a data structure (or i.e “abstract syntax tree” or AST)
then, turn that AST into binary format
Just think of the JS-heavy web apps striving to parse all that data in due time.
WebAssembly is proven to score 3 times better at load time.
5.4. JavaScript performs better on smaller array sizes
In a WebAssembly vs JavaScript “duel” WASM would always perform better on larger array sizes, powering extremely fast web applications.
5.5. WebAssmebly files load faster once in cache
The moment they get stored in the cache of the browser, WASM files are easier to load, compared to JS's source code.
5.6. JavaScript often performs better during execution
Once fully optimized, WebAssembly is slower when executing code in the browser.
And this is partly (some) browsers' “fault”:
On Microsoft edge, for instance, WebAssembly executes terribly slowly.
5.7. WebAssembly doesn't really “outshine” JS in terms of run-time performance
6. What Next? Will WebAssembly Become More Than Just a Web-Based Solution?
Well, that's the goal, at least:
To go beyond its common use in web browsers.
To upgrade it from a web-based solution to the go-to option for:
desktop apps
mobile apps
other execution environments
Moreover, one of the “forecasts” is that we'll no longer talk about a “WebAssembly vs JavaScript” rivalry in the future, but about a cohabitation of the 2:
You'll still be able to write your code in JavaScript all while leveraging the speed that WebAsssembly brings to the table: improved frameworks and libraries.
“Will WebAssembly replace JavaScript by 20XX?”
I'm certain that it won't: JS is still a convenient and fast choice for too many tasks.
Yet, we will witness a successful collaboration of the 2.
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash.
Silviu Serdaru / Dec 07'2018
The media management experience had been one of the well-known sources of frustration for Drupal content editors for a long time. For, let's face it: Drupal's out-of-the-box media support was just... basic. But not anymore: there are new exciting features for media handling in Drupal 8.6.0 that will dramatically change the way you manage your media assets on your Drupal website!
Now, let's take a sneak peek at these most-anticipated media handling features that Drupal 8.6.0 comes equipped with:
adding media from a remote source
adding various types of media
embedding Youtube and Vimeo videos in the content (via URL)
easily accessing and reusing the existing media
uploading new media types right out of the box
And this is almost... overwhelming:
From almost no built-in media support in Drupal, for so many years, to a whole set of modern, powerful media management options now in Drupal 8.6.0.
But let's not ramble about this topic anymore and dive right in! Into the pile of new features meant to enhance the whole media management experience in Drupal:
But First: An Update on The Progress of the Media in Drupal 8 Initiative
The main goal of this media initiative was to:
Add a rich media support to Drupal 8.
One that would empower the content editors to easily reuse existing media assets, add new media entities and to overall gain more control (and meta information) over their media.
And there are 3 core milestones that we can trace while tracking the progress of this initiative for Drupal 8:
adding the experimental Media module to Drupal 8.4 in late 2017
leveling up this module from experimental to stable phase in Drupal 8.5.0
turning it into the standard way of storing media in Drupal
Moreover, starting with Drupal 8.6.0 a new key module for handling media has been added to core — Media Library — along with a few more exciting options:
quick access to the existing media assets
oEmbed support
a new media type: remote video content
Quite a “leap” forward, to a great media management experience in Drupal, I would say...
2. Welcome a New Media Type in Drupal 8: Remote Video
Let us list the 4 media types that you could add to your site's content up to Drupal 8.6.0:
file
image
video
audio
OK, now it's time you welcomed a new media type to the group: remote video!
Basically, as a content editor you're now able to add videos from remote sources, as well — Vimeo and Youtube — via their URLs.
In short: you're no longer constrained to settle for the default media types in Drupal 8. No sir, now you get to create new custom ones mentioning their media sources.
Summing up: embedding new media to your website content is nothing but a two-step process: Content-Add Media.
3. Reusing Media Is Now Possible: Media Library
One of the much-awaited features for media handling in Drupal 8.6.0 had been reusable media.
Well, here it is now: Media Library! It's where you can save and store all your media assets to be further reused whenever needed.
Note: do keep in mind that this an experimental module and that you'll also need to enable the Media module first things first.
“And how does it work more precisely?”
while in your content edit screen
just browse through all the media assets stored in your Media Library
select the one you need
and simply “inject” it into your page
Note: it's the “Media library” widget, added to the Media field, that enables you to scan through all your media entities straight from the content edit screen.
4. The New “Media” Field: A Quick Way to Embed Media in Your Content
Handling media in Drupal 8.6.0 is as simple as... adding a new field — “Media” — to the content type in question (be it news, blog post, article and so on).
Once the new field is added on, just go through the 5 media types available in Drupal 8.6.0 and select the one you need to embed.
Next, you can simply integrate it into your content, while in your edit screen, positioning it to your liking.
5. New Media Handling in Drupal 8.6.0: Youtube & Vimeo Embeds
A new media management tool that significantly improves the whole content editing experience in Drupal.
You're able to embed remote videos from Youtube and Vimeo via URL, thanks to the now added oEmbed media support.
“How precisely?” Basically, you simply:
add that new “Media” field to your content type, as previously stated
select the “Remote Video” option from the “Media Type” drop-down menu
enter your video's URL in the “Video URL” field, while in your “Add Remote Video” screen
and click “Save”
And voila: you'll have your remote video integrated into your content!
The END!
As Steve Burge from OSTraining would say:
“Finally we're getting somewhere with media in Drupal!”
What do you think about the new features for media handling in Drupal 8.6.0? What other options and tools are there on your wishlist?
To be able to embed remote videos right from the node create page, maybe? Or to have other video platforms, as well, supported in Drupal?
Silviu Serdaru / Sep 21'2018
Let's just say that the default product review system in Magento 2 is... well... not 100% satisfactory for you. It does have its limitations; there might be some particular product reviewing and rating features that it can't provide you with. So, you start looking for an extension to compensate for this... inconvenience. But which one to go with? What is the most suitable Magento 2 product reviews extension for your own eCommerce store's needs?
And it takes just a brief scanning of the large “pile” of Magento 2 extensions to start experiencing choice overload:
How do you know which one's the best for your eStore? Which one suits your own idea of an “ideal” reviews system?
But what if we narrowed them down to 5 choices only? The 5 best Magento 2 review extensions to start your searches with:
But First: The “Ideal” Magento 2 Reviews System — Main Characteristics
What features should the reviews system on your eStore have to meet all your expectations?
Let me guess:
reviews should be accompanied by the customers' real names, photos and maybe even a link to their social media accounts, as well
customers should be able to rate products on a “pros & cons” scale
the reviews section should be easily noticeable on page
the reviews system should empower you with the proper tools to use for encouraging customers to insert informative, relevant reviews only
… needless to add that the UI of the add review screen should be highly intuitive
the reviews should show product photos, as well
the reviews system would enable you, the admin, to easily sort product reviews by relevance/helpfulness
The Default Magento Product Reviews Feature: How Does It Work?
Before we delve right into the mini pile of Magento 2 product reviews extensions that I've prepared for you here, let's see:
How does the default reviews functionality work in Magento 2?
On the user's side, he/she writes down his review in the text description field popping up once he's rated the product from 1 to 5.
Whereas on the admin's side, you get to configure those ratings at Stores > Attributes > Rating, right in your Magento 2 admin dashboard.
Images: Potatocommerce.com
The Advanced Review for Magento 2 Extension
You cannot run your evaluation of the best rated Magento 2 product reviews extensions and skip this module here.
Why? Here are the top reasons for considering it:
it provides a detailed product reviews system, with pros and cons
it makes it possible for the published reviews to be rated as helpful/unhelpful
… and to be shared across social media networks, as well
it features review captcha and report reviews, helping you minimize the risk of fraud and spam
it boosts the product reviews system with custom rating values (quality, price and so on)
The Import/Export Product Reviews Extension
A handy Magento 2 extension if you're “juggling with” multiple online stores.
Basically, it enables you to import/export product reviews from one eStore to another via CSV file.
Note: while importing them, you, the admin, get to set their status using the CSV file
The extension's most valuable features:
it makes it possible for reviews to get transferred along with their titles and descriptions via CSV file
it supports a multi-store environment
it empowers you, the admin to approve/disapprove the submitted reviews
Magento 2 Review Booster: The Best Magento 2 Product Reviews Extension?
Another product reviews and rating extension for Magento 2 that you shouldn't overlook while determining your best option.
And here are some of its main functionalities:
pros and cons
reviewing the written feedback's helpfulness
uploading images to product reviews
the possibility to “lure” customers with different discounts/coupons for reviewing the products they buy
review reminders
adding comments to product reviews
sorting product reviews by rating
The Magento 2 Product Reviews Extension
Another extension that has the potential to get you closer to that “ideal” Magento 2 reviews system of yours.
Here's how precisely:
it enables customers to upload images of the product review form (no registration required)
it's ideally easy to install & manage
you get to integrate the product review functionality through a widget
you, the admin, get to review the uploaded images' widths & heights
The Magento 2 Review Reminder Extension
Now, could you imagine the reviews system on your Magento 2 website without a powerful review reminder type of tool plugged in?
I didn't think so...
They make such handy tools to help you encourage customers, via email reminders, to post reviews for the products they've bought.
Now, here are the key features of this specific tool here, an essential Magento 2 product reviews extension:
targeting specific groups of customers that you'd send your email reminders to
sending automated reminder emails
using coupons to entice customers to share their first product reviews and even choosing its template
cleaning log records automatically, after a specific no. of days
setting up the right time for sending the first reminder email
The END! These are the 5 best Magento 2 review extensions to add to your shortlist and start your “research” with.
feature-rich
powerful
easy to set up and customize on your side
easy to use on your customers' side
… each module, taken separately, injects those product reviews functionalities into your store to help you enhance the built-in reviews system that the platform provides you with.
Silviu Serdaru / Sep 13'2018
Thinking to convert your website to a progressive web app? And why shouldn't you?
Since the benefits are obvious:
you “end up” with a website behaving like a native web app
… one that works offline (and “offline” is the new black these days, right?), having its own home-screen icon
improved user experience: not only that your site goes mobile, but users don't even need to get your site-turned-into-an-app downloaded from an app store and then installed on their devices
Furthermore:
Putting together a PWA out of a regular website (or blog) is unexpectedly easy! Basically, any site/blog can be turned into a progressive web app...
No need to let yourself discouraged by terms such as:
service workers
web app manifest (or “manifest.json)
… for the whole process is actually far less complex than it sounds.
Here, see for yourself: go through the 3 essential steps it takes to convert your website to a progressive web app:
But First: All You Need to Know About PWAS— Benefits & Common Misconceptions
A succinct and clear enough definition of progressive web apps would be:
A PWA is a website that behaves like a native mobile app once visited on a mobile device.
Whereas a more detailed and comprehensive one would go something like this:
A PWA is a sum of modern web capabilities (and basic mobile capabilities) that enable users to save it on their own mobile devices (thus enjoying a native app-like experience) and access it offline, too.
And now, without getting into the old “native mobile app vs PWAs” debate, let me point out to you some of progressive web apps' most “luring” benefits:
as compared to native apps, the setup process, on users' end, is significantly simplified: PWAs get instantly installed on their home screens, with no need to visit an app store for that
they can get accessed offline, as well, via the home screen icon (a huge step forward from responsive web design)
installation is conveniently lightweight: a few hundred KB
essential files get cached locally (needless to say that this makes them faster than the standard web apps)
they feature modern web capabilities: push notifications, cameras, GPS
updates are run automatically, with no user interaction
not only that they work offline, too, but once the network connection is restored, they synchronize the data
And now, before we virtually convert your website to a progressive web app, let's go, briefly, through some of the most common misconceptions about PWAs:
a. A progressive web app is literally an... “application”.
Not necessarily:
A progressive web app can be a blog, an online shop, a collection of... dog memes, you name it.
Do not take the term “application” too literally when referring to PWAs. It's more of a concept, a code optimization technique which, once leveraged, "turbocharges” your app-like website or blog to deliver content faster.
b. Progressive Web Apps Are Developed Specifically for iOS or Android.
On the contrary! Probably one of PWAs' “hardest to resist to” advantage is that:
They're platform-independent.
So, you don't need to:
develop separate codebases
comply with platform-specific submission guidelines
c. Your Site Has to Be a JS-Based Single Page One So You Can Turn it Into a PWA.
Nothing of that sort!
If you're currently running... something on the web (be it a set of static HTML files), then you can easily make a PWA out of it!
And now, let's go straight to the 3-step set up process of a PWA out of your regular website:
Step 1: Go HTTPS to Convert Your Website to a Progressive Web App
There's no way around it: the HTTPs protocol is the ONLY way to go when it comes to progressive web apps!
All data exchanges need to be served on a secure domain: over an HTTPs connection!
And how do you switch from HTTP to HTTPs? You get yourself an SSL certificate from a trusted authority.
Now, there are 2 ways to get hold of it:
if your site runs on your own server (or at least you have root access to your server), consider setting up the LetsEncrypt certificate.
if your website runs on a shared hosting, then both the process and the cost of your SSL certificate (for yes, there will be a monthly or an annual fee) depends greatly on your provider.
Step 2: Create a Web App Manifest
“But what is a web app manifest?”, you might ask yourself.
A JSON text file that contains all the meta data of your PWA: description, scope, start_url, name, images, display, short_name...
It's this information that will let browsers know how precisely they should display your app once saved as a home-screen icon.
Now, before I go ahead and share a working example with you — one including the must-have entries of any web app manifest — I should also highlight that:
A link to this JSON text file should be placed in the <head> of all your PWA's pages:
<link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
That, of course, after you've:
entered all the information about your PWA
copied the manifest.json
created a new “manifest.json” file in the root directory of your site
and pasted it there
It should be served with:
Content-Type: application/json HTTP header or
a Content-Type: application/manifest+json
And here's a “sample” piece of code:
{
"name": "My PWA Sample App",
"short_name" : "PWA",
"start_url": "index.html?utm_source=homescreen",
"scope" : "./",
"icons": [
{
"src": "./android-chrome-192x192.png",
"sizes": "192x192",
"type": "image/png"
},
{
"src": "./android-chrome-512x512.png",
"sizes": "512x512",
"type": "image/png"
}
],
"theme_color": "#ffee00",
"background_color": "#ffee00",
"display": "standalone"
}
Once the “Manifest” section of the Chrome's Development Tools Application tab has validated your JSON file, it will generate an “Add to home screen” link to be accessed on all desktop devices.
Tip: as you convert your website to a progressive web app you don't necessarily need to configure the manifest.json file yourself — with all its different images sizes, meta tags etc. Instead, if you want to make it quick, you can just make a 500x500 sized image of your PWA and then rely on Real Favicon Generator to create all the needed icon sizes and a manifest file for you!
And this is just one of the generators you could use!
Step 3: Set Up Your Service Worker
This is where the “true power” of your PWA lies:
A service worker is a JavaScript file, placed in your app's root, that plays the role of a “middleman” between the browser and the host. The one which, once installed in the supported browsers, intercepts and responds to the network request in different ways.
Note: in most cases, it's for caching all the static files, so that our PWAs can function offline, too, that we use service workers.
Now that we've seen what a service worker is, here's how you create one as you convert your website to a progressive web app:
a. You get it registered first things first.
For this, just run this code in the JS file on your site:
if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) { // register service worker navigator.serviceWorker.register('/service-worker.js'); }
Practically, it will check whether the browser does support Service Workers and, if it does, it registers your Service Worker file.
Note: NEVER call this file, inside your website, like this:
<script src="./service-worker.js"></script>
b. If you do not need your PWA to work offline, too, just set up an empty /service-worker.js file.
Users will just be notified to install it on their devices!
c. Once you've registered your Service Worker, generate your Service Worker file, too.
For this, just run this command in your terminal:
$ npm install --global sw-precache
Next, go ahead and run it on your website directory:
$ sw-precache
Et voila! You will have generated a service-worker.js including the service worker contents.
Test It Out!
At this stage of the "convert your website to a progressive web app" process, you should:
check whether your service worker got properly registered and installed on Chrome
run a performance audit on your PWA, using Chrome's Lighthouse Extension
For the first operation, go through these 3 basic steps here:
press F12 to open your Chrome Dev Tools
click on the “Application” tab
next, on the sidebar, select “Service Workers”
Then, check whether your service worker has been properly activated and is running normally:
Just tick the “Offline” checkbox and try reloading. Does your PWA-site still display its content, even when there's no internet connection?
Now let's run an audit using Chrome's dedicated testing tool, Lighthouse:
press F12 again to visualize the Chrome Dev Tools
select the “Audits” tab
then select “Perform an audit”
check all the suggested checkboxes
and finally, run the audit
And here's how the generated report would look like:
The END! This is how you convert your website to a progressive web app in 3 steps:
enabling HTTPS
configuring your web app manifest
creating your service worker
See? Any website can be turned into a PWA and you don't need to be a senior developer to do it.
Check out our development services for Magento websites in Vancouver.
Silviu Serdaru / Jul 24'2018
What can you do to speed up your Magento 2 store on mobile devices?
For let's face it: Magento 2's “ecosystem” of third-party extensions and overall its modular architecture is convenience at its best for any developer! For any eStore owner. It empowers them both to start small and then scale it up to their most daring goals. Yet, all this power placed in your hand does come at a cost: reduced speed.
And top speed is crucial if you're determined to deliver a great mobile user experience.
So, what are the tweaks that you can make to boost your eStore's performance?
Luckily, there are plenty, ranging from:
well-known (and too frequently underrated) best practices, like optimizing your product images
to slightly more in-depth “tweaks”, like inlining critical CSS
But, let's dive right in! Here's your “emergency kit“ of 5 solutions to apply to your Magento 2 store for improving its performance on mobile:
1. Reduce Page Size to Increase Page Loading Speed
And it's still those “too obvious to be truly effective” type of techniques that have the biggest impact on an eStore's performance on mobile devices:
Lower your web page size and it will make a drastic difference for your mobile users' experience with your online store; especially for those accessing your site from mobile devices with low bandwidth.
Now here are a few simple, yet effective tweaks that you can make to reduce page size:
1.1. Use GZIP to Compress Your Pages
A handy “trick” that you can perform is to enable GZIP (if it's not already enabled) and let it “work its magic” on your web page's size.
It will compress:
fonts
CSS files
external scripts
JS
… cutting your pages' “weight” down by almost 70%.
Note: put any of your front-end pages to the Google PageSpeed Insights “test”; take note of the GZIP-related warnings popping up and ensure that the CSS/JS compression feature is enabled.
1.2. Enable JavaScript/CSS Files Minification
Here's another built-in Magento 2 feature that all you need to do is... trigger to speed up your Magento 2 store on mobile devices: CSS/JS files minification.
Note: do keep in mind, though, that it works in production mode only (so not in default or developer mode, as well)!
Here's how you enable it:
Navigate to the backend menu
Stores > Configuration > Advanced > Developer
Set your app/site's production mode:
php bin/magento deploy:mode:set production
Note: not sure what mode your eCommerce site's running on now? Enter the following command to identify its current mode:
php bin/magento deploy:mode:show
1.3. Optimize Your Product Pages
And the more crowded your product catalog is, the more important this solution becomes!
“Are you implying that I should take each and every one of my product images and optimize them... one by one?” you might ask yourself.
Definitely not! Since there are at least 2 easy solutions that you could go for:
you can use a content delivery network (CDN) as it will take the image optimization “burden” off your back
you can leverage the Google PageSpeed (GPS) server extension; it will compress your images in no time, among other “tricks” that it performs to speed up your Magento 2 store on mobile
2. Reduce The Server Response Time to Speed up Your Magento 2 Store
Optimizing your server's response time (or “time to first byte”) is another critical tweak that you can do to boost your Magento 2 store's speed.
Set your “target” to 0.5s, the time a browser would need to wait for your website's server response.
“But why bother, since Magento provides me with full-page cache functionality right out of the box”, you might wonder.
That's true, but just consider particular pages, such as checkout, customer pages, cart, that this pre-built functionality can't “work its magic” on.
2.1. Run a Throughout Audit on Your Third-Party Extension "Load"
Start reducing your server response time with a basic, yet so very effective step:
Audit your entire modules infrastructure!
identify any issues with your current plugins and (if any) look for a patch or replace them with more performant ones
turn them on and off just to detect any negative impacts on your Magento 2 site's performance
Note: as a rule of thumb, try keeping your Magento 2 third-party extensions to a minimum! Trim down your collection of modules keeping only the must-have ones; otherwise, its weight will affect your eCommerce site's performance!
2.2. Use Magento 2 Profiler to Detect Any Server Performance Issues
“What's a profile?” you ask.
A program geared at identifying just how much time a code block needs to execute.
Using a profile you'll be actually drilling deep(er) into your Magento 2 store's internals to detect the very root cause of your bad server response time!
2.3. Consider Upgrading Your Hosting Plan
Is it time you upgraded your hosting server? More RAM and CPU will always have a huge impact on your eCommerce website's performance, you know.
So, how do you know whether it's time to upgrade?
Just install a brand new Magento 2 website on your current server. If it's speedier than your live website, there's no need to change your current hosting plan.
In this case, you'll only need to focus on the other tweaks included in this list here to speed up your Magento 2 store on mobile.
2.4. Use Varnish as a Full-Page Cache (FPC) Solution
Another trick for improving Magento 2's performance is to leverage Varnish, the software that caches and serves content.
The good news is that Magento 2 supports it natively.
And here's how you trigger its “power”:
navigate to the backend menu
Stores > Configuration > Advanced > System > Full Page Cache
Note: you'll need to enter a hostname, port and Varnish export configuration; if in doubt, ask your system admin for a hand to set everything up properly.
3. Load and Render Above-the-Fold Content First
Prioritize the content that appears before scrolling down! It will make all the difference when it comes to your Magento 2 eStore's page loading time!
And now, here are the techniques at hand for loading and displaying this content first:
3.1. Defer Loading JavaScript
Moving all your JS code to the bottom of the page (“beneath the fold”) will implicitly make your AF (above-the-fold) content load quicker.
You'll basically postpone the time-consuming parsing of JS code and thus speed up your Magento 2 store on all mobile devices!
The good news is that there already are Magento 2 extensions that do the job for you. They'll move all your non-critical JS scripts beneath the fold!
3.2. Inline Critical Above-the-Fold CSS
“But what about the above-the-fold CSS?” you might legitimately ask yourself.
How do you approach these critical files? For you definitely can't place ALL your CSS at the bottom of the page, now can you?
Well, first you:
extract/isolate precisely this “critical” CSS
then you inline it straight to the HTML; right between <head> and </head> tags
This way, it will get loaded and rendered first (before the non-critical CSS), along with the rest of the above-the-fold content.
Note: you might be tempted to go for one of those tools “promising” you to extract this CSS for you. Unfortunately for you, manually setting the critical CSS for each one of your pages (homepage, checkout, category etc.) is the right way to do it.
4. Leverage the Power of HTTP/2
By moving your Magento 2 website over to HTTP/2 you'll grant your eStore users a secure and faster-browsing experience.
Not to mention the impact that it will have particularly on the experiences of those customers using a slow mobile network to access your online store.
The tremendous news is that Magento 2 co-exist with HTTP/2 by default. Yet, there are 2 conditions that you need to make sure your online store meets:
your hosting server should already support HTTP/2
your eCommerce web pages should be served via SSL
Note: run your own "investigation" and look for some suitable extensions providing server pushes.
5. Magento 2 Performance Optimization: Disable JS Bundling
But why would you want to disable a Magento 2 feature that actually lowers the HTTP requests made by your browser for loading and rendering a web page?
Because it comes with its own side-effects, the main one being the oversized JS file that this feature generates, of about 5-10 Mb.
Moreover, it's proven that downloading this huge external file takes more time than the time you'd actually be saving by reducing the no. of HTTP requests.
Now that we've tackled the “Why”, let's focus on the “How”, as well. Here's how you disable JS bundling:
go to your website's backend menu
Stores > Configuration > Advanced > Developer
and apply the following configuration:
Note: there's no need to disable this JS files grouping feature if you're already using HTTP/2!
The END! These are but 5 of the handiest solutions that you could use to speed up your Magento 2 store on mobile. As you can see, the list includes nothing more than predictable “tweaks” and well-known best practices that you should stick to.
Silviu Serdaru / May 23'2018
Here you are now: your Angular 4 front-end app ready to... wow its users! “Almost ready” actually! For it still needs styling... And what better HTML and CSS framework to go for than Bootstrap, right? But how to use Bootstrap with Angular 4 more precisely?
How do you properly integrate it into your Angular 4 CLI project?
Great news: you have not just one, but 3 options at hand for adding it!
Let me get into details:
On Using Bootstrap in Your Front-End Development Process
Is there any need to list here the reasons why it's precisely Bootstrap that you're planning to implement into your Angular CLI project? Angular 4, to be more specific.
After all, it's the most popular framework for styling websites built in HTML, CSS and modern web & mobile JavaScript frameworks (like Angular here):
It's an open source, feature-rich framework that turns front-end development into a such a “breeze”. Basically, it empowers you to build responsive layouts without the need to be a CSS “expert”.
And now, let's break down further with the step-by-step “tutorial” on how to use Bootstrap with Angular 4:
Step 1: Create a New Angular Project Using Angular CLI
The very first step to take is obviously setting up a brand new project.
Use the Angular Command Line Interface to generate it.
But first, install it to on your system:
$ npm install -g @angular/cli
It's only then, once you've installed its NPM package, that you can go ahead and... generate your new project.
For doing this, just type the following command in your CLI:
$ ng new myproject
Next, feel free to change into that specific directory and to turn on the web server:
$ cd myproject
$ ng serve
“App works!” This is the message that you should be seeing in your browser right now.
Step 2: Install Bootstrap to Your Project
Now that you've launched your new Angular project, it's time to add your Bootstrap library, as well.
And you sure aren't nickel and dimed in options. There are 4 ways to add Bootstrap to Angular 4.
Step 3: How to Use Bootstrap with Angular 4 — 3 Different Ways to Integrate It
Option 1: Install Bootstrap from CDN
And there are 2 particular files that you'll need to install from CDN into your project:
the Bootstrap CCS file
the Bootstrap JavaScript file
Note: keep in mind to add the jQuery JavaScript library file, as well!
Next, open the src/index.html file and insert the following:
the <link> element to add the Bootstrap CSS file at the end of the head section
a <script> element for adding jQuery at the bottom of the body section
a <script> element for inserting the Bootstrap JS file at the bottom of the body section
Eager to see “Bootstrap in action” in one of your project's component templates? Then give it a try:
open the src/app/app.component.html
enter the following code there:
<div class="container">
<div class="jumbotron">
<h1>Welcome</h1>
<h2>Angular & Bootstrap Demo</h2>
</div>
<div class="panel panel-primary">
<div class="panel-heading">Status</div>
<div class="panel-body">
<h3>{{title}}</h3>
</div>
</div>
</div>
And it's the following message that this HTML template code should trigger in your browser:
“app works!”
Note: go for a Bootstrap theme of your choice; once you've downloaded it (from Bootswatch.com for instance), its bootstrap.min.css file will get instantly opened up in your browser.
Just copy the file's URL and use it to replace the string assigned to the href attribute of the <link> element, in the index.html file.
And voila! It's precisely those colors, defined by your chosen theme, that get displayed in the browser now!
Option 2: Install Bootstrap using NPM
And here's another valid answer to your “How to use Bootstrap with Angular 4” dilemma!
Simply enter:
$ npm install bootstrap@3 jquery –save
It's this command that will integrate Bootstrap and jQuery into the node_modules folder of your Angular 4 project directory.
Moreover, it will include these 2 dependencies in the package.json file, as well.
Once properly installed, you can find both packages at:
node_modules/bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.min.css
node_modules/bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap.min.js
node_modules/jquery/dist/jquery.min.js
Note! You have 2 options for integrating those files into your Angular 4 project:
add the file paths to the script array and to the file path of the angular-cli.json file
add the corresponding <script> and <link> elements to your index.html file
Option 3: Add NG-Bootstrap to Your Project
The great thing about this method is that you'll no longer need to add jQuery and Bootstrap dependencies. Ng-Bootstrap comes packed with a set of built-in native Angular directives which are already CSS and Bootstrap's markup-based.
Now, getting back to our initial “How to use Bootstrap with Angular 4” question, let's see how we install this NPM package.
For this, just enter the following command in your Angular 4 project directory:
npm install --save @ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap
Next, make sure you also install Bootstrap 4 to your project:
$ npm install bootstrap@4.0.0-alpha.6
And, the final step is to add the following files:
jquery.min.js
bootstrap.min.js
bootstrap.min.css
… to your .angular-cli.json file
Now you still need to import the Ng-Bootstrap’s core module — NgbModule — from its @ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap package.
To do this, just type the following import statement into app.module.ts:
import {NgbModule} from '@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap';
All there's left for you to do now is to add the NgbModule to the @NgModuledecorator's imports array.
And since we're here, you'll find some more than “enlightening” info (chunks of code here included!) on the 2 different options at hand for importing the NGBModule:
either in your project's child modules
or in your the root module itself
… in this article here on Using Bootstrap with Angular.
Using The NG-Bootstrap Components: Which Are They?
With the NgbModule installed into your Angular 4 project, you're now able to use the Ng-Bootstrap components.
To leverage them in your app.component.html.
Speaking of which, here are the components at hand:
Accordion
Alert
Rating
Tabs
Carousel
Progressbar
Collapse
Datepicker
Buttons
Pagination
Typeahead
Popover
Timepicker
Dropdown
Modal
Tooltip
The END! Does this answer your “How to Use Bootstrap with Angular 4” question?
Which method of adding this front-end framework to your project is more suitable for you?
Silviu Serdaru / Apr 30'2018
Conveniently customizable, ideally flexible and unexpectedly feature-rich... No wonder that you consider moving your site to Magento 2. Or having your brand new e-commerce site built on the latest version of Magento. And now you must be wondering: which are the best free Magento 2 themes to choose from?
And let me guess, your “feature wishlist” goes something like this:
responsive (it goes without saying)
functionality-rich
visually-appealing
flexible enough
capable to accommodate both medium and large-sized online store (you need to consider your growth plans, too, when choosing your theme, right?)
Oh, and yes: most probably time is not your best ally, am I right?
Therefore, you can't afford to invest too much of it in comparing, weighing pros and cons, setting up a never-ending list, then trimming it down to the very best themes for Magento 2.
Well, no need to, for I've got your back!
Here's a top 10 for you, including only those themes with the best user reviews, themes that strike the perfect balance between great looks and powerful functionality:
1. Ves Yume
Feature-packed, fully responsive and... free of charge. What more could you possibly ask for your theme?
And speaking of its features, although they do come with no price tag on, they're unexpectedly powerful. For example:
gallery image product detail
off-canvas menu & header link
Ajax cart
checkout improvements
font awesome
a handful of static blocks
In short: a full-collection of features and functionalities for providing both rich and convenient online shopping experiences to your customers.
2. F2
If it's a sleek & clean web design, suitable for a professional e-commerce site, that you're aiming at, then F2 is the theme to power your plans with!
One which — although designed by the latest web trends — doesn't trade functionality for visually-striking looks.
And speaking if its features, let me point out to you the most tempting ones:
responsive design
sticky header
drop-down cart
multiple product types
configurable swatches
Moreover, it's one of those best free Magento 2 themes that are surprisingly flexible, as well. You're free to adjust it to perfectly fit your Magento project's type and size.
Tip: where do you add that — although looks play a major role here— F2 is NOT overburdened with visual effects. Effects that would negatively impact your online store's performance!
3. Best Free Magento 2 Themes: Ketty, One of the “Oldest” Ones, too
“Oldies, but goldies!”
For, even if it's one of the “oldest” Magento 2 themes, Ketty's packed with some truly powerful features. And thus capable to “rival” much newer/younger themes.
Now, if I am to highlight some of its attention-worthy features:
Ajax cart
product zoom
user-friendly admin panel with a new design
highly customizable
configurable swatches
improved checkout
cross-browser support
Also, F2 is one of the responsive Magento 2 themes, in case you were wondering...
4. Absolute
One of Magento's “star” themes for 4 years now, Absolute's now available for Magento 2, as well.
A highly professional theme overloaded with options to suit your every feature need. If I were to name just some of these hard-to-resist-to ones:
image slider
theme editor
featured product slider
newsletter subscription
my cart and compare product blocks on the homepage
quick product overview
A responsive theme that has already earned itself a “reputation” among Magento users, conveniently packed with features to answer all your e-commerce requirements.
5. BizKick
BizKick's made it to almost all users' personal lists of best free Magento 2 themes.
And for 3 strong reasons:
it's responsive
it “spoils” them with a whole collection of advanced features
it “tempts” them with a handful of clean and classy layouts
6. Ves Need
Is it health spa services, glasses, beauty products, handbags, shoes or maybe clothes that you'll be selling on your Magento 2 e-commerce site?
Then you might want to consider Ves Need.
It comes with an elegant, neat & clean design that will surely appeal to your (mostly) female audience.
And where do you add that it's free, too!
7. Ves Fasony
Designed with the customer's needs and expectations in mind, Ves Fasony is a responsive theme for Magento 2 built with Bootstrap 3.x.
The key reasons behind its listing on this exclusive top here — featuring the very best free Magento 2 themes — are the following:
it's built with online customers' needs and expectations in mind; it anticipates their requirements and delivers an amazing shopping experience
it's optimized for touch drag and drop
it comes with an owl carousel controlling the image slider
Moreover, Ves Fasony's ideal for women and men fashion, watches and bags stores. So, do keep this aspect in mind when you're evaluating the themes listing in this top, looking for the one that best fits all your e-commerce requirements.
8. FreeGo, One of the Best Free Magento 2 Themes
It has the functionality — since it comes packed with a full set of powerful features — and it sure has the looks: a clean-elegant (almost minimalist) design.
Moreover, FreeGo's fully responsive and puts a powerful back-end panel at your disposal. One that you can use for customizing your theme to suit your Magento 2 project in the slightest detail.
And now, when it comes to its “load” of powerful features:
sold out label extension
touch optimized slideshow
child theme ready
features product list (showcasing featured products)
child theme ready
all browser compatibility
off-canvas menu
9. Ves Kasitoo
A Magento 2 theme with a product-oriented and therefore attention-grabbing design, perfect for the following types of online stores:
glasses
equipment
fashion...
Moreover, it's turbocharged with a plethora of advanced features to power your e-commerce website with:
retina-ready images
featured block on the homepage
touch optimized deal products carousel
off-canvas menu
social media buttons
product tabs carousel
10. Ves Vigoss
If you have a “guilty weakness for cutting-edge, clear design, you'll definitely love this Magento 2 theme!
Apart from its great looks, it comes with a full set of outstanding features to tap into:
brand logo slider
Ajax cart
front interesting
quick view
it's fully responsive
checkout improvements
And to this list of features, I cannot but add the Magento 2.0 UI and the Bootstrap 3.x layout components, as well.
The END! So, now that you've scanned through this list of best free Magento 2 themes, which is the perfect fit for your own e-commerce web project? Which one of them supports all your feature needs?
Silviu Serdaru / Apr 20'2018
“Empower... anyone who wants to build his own website!” This is how modern web builders' “motto” could sound like. And how could you not embrace this kind of “liberalization” in web development? Yet, the question that arises now is: with so many options, how do you choose the best WYSIWYG website builder for you?
… for your own:
specific feature needs: will you be implementing video content, as well? Is blog functionality crucial for you? Can't imagine your website without an e-commerce plugin? Will you be “juggling” with multiple types of galleries on your site?
future plans: dreaming big? Then scalability is a must-have functionality and main criterion for narrowing down your options.
budget: facing a shoestring budget? Then you need to make sure that your free WYSIWYG web builder is suitable enough for your feature needs and growth plans
And besides zero coding expertise and no skills as a web designer, time is not on your side either, right? So you can't afford to spend too much of it running your own “investigations”, looking for the best web builder for you...
Then, here's a top 5 list of WYSIWYG website builders to choose from and jump-start your site building project with:
But First: What Is a WYSIWYG Website Builder Anyway? And How Does It Work?
Before I reveal to you which are the 5 most “irresistible” (meaning “feature-rich”) options for building your own website this year, let me answer these 2 basic questions first:
a. "What is a WYSIWYG web builder?"
It's a tool empowering you to go ahead and create that “dream” website yourself. And that quick and easy, with no help whatsoever from a coding “guru” or a highly gifted (and “pricey”) web designer.
And here is how this site building process looks like, summed up in just a few simple steps:
select your theme
select your template
add all kinds of content without the fear that you might mess up your code
… along with any available apps, plugins or special widget that you need to integrate
b. "And how does it work precisely?"
It uses a graphical interface which shows you how your website will look like in real time.
For the “what you see is what you get” driving principle is precisely that:
What you see as you drag, drop and customize different templates and as you add content is precisely how your website will look like in the web browser, too.
Jimdo Website Builder
I start with a WYSIWYG website builder that slightly drifts from the drag-and-drop “mainstream” approach. Instead, Jimdo “tempts” you with stackable content blocks.
Blocks that you can select from and arrange to your liking.
Note: do not expect your “load” of templates to be as heavy as is the case for the following 4 website builders on my list here. Still, do expect high-quality templates only.
“Templates” that, moreover, you get to tweak and fine tune to suit your needs and preferences in the slightest detail (colors, fonts, backgrounds, you name it).
And that you can replace at any time, with no risk of losing your work.
Main strengths:
free plan available (and I'm not talking about just a trial here)
free blogging and social media tools
HTTP encryption out-of-the-box
mobile app “injecting” on-the-go editing functionality
low learning curve
Note: speaking of the free plan, you should know that there are 3 pricing plans in total: JimdoFree, JimdoPro and JimdoBusiness. You can upgrade your plan at any time and keep your work intact while doing that.
Weak points:
limited scalability
it's not really a drag and drop website builder
limited styling capabilities
MotoCMS Website Builder
From an “out of the box” web builder, we'll switch to a powerful “beast” loaded with no less than 2500+ templates, suitable for 60 different topics.
Therefore, it goes without saying that no matter the size or the complexity of your site building project, MotoCMS can power plans of all “flavors” and sizes. From a simple landing page to a full-featured, powerful e-commerce machine...
Strong features:
built-in blog functionality
100% responsive and cross-browser compatible templates
integrated SEO and social media tools
a rich collection of widgets that you can inject additional functionality into your website with
Note: in addition to these MotoCMS strengths to consider when you're choosing the best WYSIWYG website builder, do consider its loading speed, as well. Tests (the Pingdom website speed test) prove that sites using MotoCMS templates stand out in terms of performance.
Wix: The Best WYSIWYG Website Builder for Absolute Beginners
How does it address the needs of a non-experienced & non-skilled (yet enthusiastic) site builder like you?
Through its Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) feature.
It's designed to ask you all the key questions and to draw your “absolute beginner in need of a website” type of profile.
This way, it collects the most relevant information that will help it set up precisely that website that you have in mind. Quick and easy: just let yourself interviewed!
Moreover, the Wix website builder is the most popular one in the site-builder industry (with no less than 90 million users). And there must be some strong reasons behind its “fame”.
It's true, though, that at a very first glance, the interface might be a bit discouraging. Yet, do give it some time, get to familiarize yourself with the environment and you'll discover that:
what scared you at first is precisely what will make you “addicted” to this web builder.
meaning that once you've familiarized yourself with this software's UI, its “overload” of customization functionalities proves to be conveniently empowering in fact!
they enable you, the complete non-tech-savvy site builder, to put together and tweak every little aspect of your website.
And there's more! What “entitles” Wix to compete for the... title of “the best WYSIWYG website builder in 2018” is the tempting App Market that it provides.
You get to choose from a wide range of apps (200+) storing extra functionality to be implemented on your website, such as:
Site Booster (powering your SEO strategy)
Wix stores (you'll get empowered to manage your own online store)
Wix forum
Some of them are free, while others come with a price tag on.
Features “to die for”:
text (and other elements) animating functionality
a (really) heavy load of stock images to scan through and to choose from
you get a free version, as well, perfect if it's a small, low-budget website that you're building
fully customizable, top-notch templates
it auto-generates the mobile version of your website
outstanding support
Limitations to consider:
there's no option for you to switch templates later on (that Jimdo, for instance, does provide you with)
no access to your site's source code
you can't export your website
Squarespace Website Builder
Squarespace ranks high in two categories:
best WYSIWYG website builder for creating visually-appealing websites
most expensive web builder
In other words: if “beauty” is the main criteria when choosing your web builder software, Squarespace should be on top of your list.
Pixar is one of its clients... if you know what I mean! A strong enough proof that creating visually-striking websites is what Squarespace aces at.
But it does it at a cost! So, don't expect to get a fully-functioning free version.
Powerful features:
great analytics and SEO tools
full-featured e-commerce support
fully-responsive, top-notch templates, with pre-built integrations
phenomenal presentation: in-browser image editing, video backgrounds, lightbox presentations
If it's a beautifully designed website that you're dreaming of, Squarespace is the software to “fuel” and shape that “dream” with!
Weebly Website Builder
Weebly seems to be “rivaling” Winx in popularity:
It's one of the most-used site builders, with millions of site owners leveraging its functionalities.
Therefore, its popularity is a strong enough evidence that its features, design and capabilities are... above the average (to say the least). It's a conveniently easy to use web builder, yet powerful enough for building complex websites.
An intuitive WYSIWYG website builder, with an “overwhelming” collection of website templates. And that seamlessly incorporates any 3rd party provider of your choice.
This is Weebly in short!
Top features:
powerful e-commerce features
the option (200+ apps) to implement 3rd part integrations: forms, table elements, FAQs etc.
free, responsive, sleek-looking themes to choose from
a community of 30 million users worldwide
Note: the newest version of Weebly, Carbon, comes equipped with an even richer collection of templates, a heavier toolbox and revamped UI.
The END! This is the shortlist to keep at hand when you're choosing not the best WYSIWYG website builder, but the right web builder for your own web project!
Would you have added (or maybe even excluded some) any other solutions for building a website with no help from an expert — be it developer or web designer?
Silviu Serdaru / Apr 16'2018
Adaptive vs responsive design. Is there really a matter of “better vs worse”? What's the difference anyway?
For the boundaries sure look blurry enough. Especially since both types of web design provide you with a solution to the same challenge. The one you're facing as a web designer:
A design that should cater to all screen sizes.
Now, instead of delving into this confusion even deeper, let's shed some light on:
the responsive design key features
the adaptive design's particularities
each option's advantages and drawbacks
key differences between adaptive and responsive design
1. Responsive Design: What Is It?
Using one single layout when designing a web page, that adjusts itself to fit the given screen size.
This would have to be a concise, yet comprehensive definition.
If I am to add a bit more details to it, I would have to say that:
It's a “fluid” layout, a “fluid” grid that we're talking about here, one using CSS, Content (Based Breakpoint) and media queries
… for setting up different style roles for each device/media type
Long story short: the responsive design approach enables your site's pages to (more or less seamlessly) adapt to various screen resolutions.
Note: implementing a responsive design does call for a website conceptualization phase and a deep understanding of the end user's needs and expectations!
2. Adaptive Design: A Concise Definition
Or “progressive enhancement of a website” if you prefer:
This approach to web design is centered around “multiple fixed layout sizes”. Basically, you'll need to create different layouts, one for each screen size. Once the website “identifies” the type of device the user's accessing it from, it just triggers the appropriate pre-set layout.
A layout that you/your team will need to prepare in advance, needless to add (so, you'll need to plan your time and budget accordingly).
Who's leveraging this approach? Apple, About.com, Amazon are just some of the big names.
It's an alternative to the “one-size-stretches-to-all” option in modern web design.
Note: since we can't be talking about a unique layout being re-sized over and over again, there's no impact on the overall design; no more over-stretching or other inconveniences of the sort.
3. Responsive Design: Why Would You Use It? And What Could Discourage You?
Why and when would/should you be “tempted” to go with this approach to modern web design?
Let's go through some of this type of web design's most “irresistible” strong points, shall we?
it's easier to set up and less time-consuming to implement
since the same design is being used, seamlessly, on all devices, a certain feeling of familiarity is being instilled, enhancing the overall user experience
… we can talk about a unified visual (and operational) end-user experience
the collection of affordable templates at hand, suitable for most CMSs, is ideally rich and particularly “tempting” if it's a brand new website that you need to design
a “one size fits all” type of flexibility
it's SEO-friendly; since we can't be talking about distinct design versions, there's no negative impact on the SEO strategy either
lower maintenance costs
no redirection needed for establishing the connection between mobile and desktop sites
And yet, this approach does come packed with certain disadvantages, as well. Limitations that you need to note and ponder on before you make your adaptive vs responsive design decision:
you'll have less control over the screen size design
expect longer mobile download times
no possibility to fine tune the advertisements showing up on your website
expect to have certain elements scattered, moving around the screen once the design readjusts itself to the given screen's width
4. Adaptive Design: Main Advantages & Drawbacks
Your “adaptive vs responsive design” dilemma becomes even acuter when you realize that you need to choose between:
A seamless design, plus a certain sense of familiarity and a suite of tailor-made design solutions catering to users' specific needs.
And how do you choose, since both familiarity and customization have a huge impact on the user experience?
Now, let's have a look at some of the adaptive design's strong points:
as mentioned: it enables you to deliver custom-made web design; different layouts created for various screen resolutions (instead of one layout “stretched/shrunk to all of them”)
it complies with the requirements of modern user experience: personalization-focused UX and user-centric approach to web design
… meaning you're not creating the best UX, but the best UX for each one of the devices that your users will be accessing your website from
by “tailor-made” I do mean “tailor-made advertisements”, perfectly optimized to your relevant user interface and tailored to the user data collected from smart devices
in an adaptive vs responsive design debate, the first one will always win when it comes to performance: sites using an adaptive design are just faster
… and speed will always be a differentiating factor in Google's eyes
coding an adaptive design is more time-efficient
implementing it is more cost-effective
managing it tends to be easier since you only need to consider few states
testing it is much easier (with more accurate results, as well)
And now, are you ready for a list of drawbacks to balance adaptive design's advantages with? Just so you can gain a more objective understanding, evaluating all the pros and cons in full:
it usually requires more work, and therefore it's used mostly for overhauling existing websites, rather than with new websites (considering that “more work” stands for “more time-consuming”)
the site configuration being either desktop or smartphone-focused, tablets and notebooks users are... left in the middle
it impacts your SEO strategy, since search engines will detect and penalize identical content showing up on different websites (“.com” and “m.com” sites)
5. Adaptive vs Responsive Design: Key Differences to Take Away
The most notable differences for you to keep in mind from this comparative analysis of the 2 popular options at hand are the following:
a responsive design is a consistent one: what you get on desktop, you get on a smaller screen size, as well
a responsive design might turn out to be easier to maintain on the long run: with every new screen size emerging, it will adapt to it, by default
… by comparison, with an adaptive design you'll need to create a brand new layout for every new possible device, with a specific screen width, that might get released
on a long-term, we could say that maintaining a site using adaptive design gets more challenging: it's several fixed layouts that you'll need to manage (instead of just one)
the adaptive screen size (you'll be using static breakpoint for building adaptive design) is less flexible than the responsive screen design: you'll need to design (from scratch) for every display that you target
The END! Are all these strengths and limitations of the two popular approaches to modern web design of any help to you? For solving your “adaptive vs responsive design” dilemma?
Silviu Serdaru / Apr 13'2018