Time to the first byte: distracted from server response time

The article considers the concept of time to the first byte (TTFB) and its impact on the seamlessness of custom experience. The author emphasizes that the rapid loading of the HTML document has a significant effect on TTFB, but optimization of this metric indicator implies more than simply accelerating HTML generation.

🚀 The author considers the various components that affect TTFB, including cross-references, the time spent connection with the server, redirecting the same origin and the actual request of the HTML document. The article provides an example of such a relationship of components through the visualization of a watering water.

• 📌 Connection to the server on the network usually requires three circular trips: DNS (search for server IP addresses), TCP (installation of a reliable connection with the server) and TLS (creating a safe encrypted connection).
• 📌 Network delay, or circular trip (RTT), is the time it takes to send data to the server and receive a response in the browser.
• 📌 The network delay depends significantly on the geographical distance between the visitor device and the server to which the browser connects.

💡 One way to accelerate your website is to use the content network (CDN). These services provide a network of globally distributed server location.

🚀 To improve the TTFB your website, the author proposes to use the global CDN, optimize your application code or cache, and avoid redirements.