The Lean Web

The modern web is bloated and fragile because of JavaScript. Learn how to build faster, more resilient experiences by embracing the native web platform.

#1about 5 minutes

The web is slow and fragile because of JavaScript

JavaScript's performance cost is orders of magnitude higher than HTML or CSS, leading to slow load times and brittle user experiences.

#2about 5 minutes

Understanding the hype cycle in web development

New technologies from large companies create a bandwagon effect driven by thought leadership and job descriptions, perpetuating a cycle of adoption.

#3about 5 minutes

Adopting a lean web approach with multi-page apps

The lean web prioritizes user needs over developer convenience by favoring multi-page applications built with static site generators over complex single-page apps.

#4about 2 minutes

Using service workers to enhance multi-page apps

Service workers act as a proxy between the browser and the network, enabling asset caching for instant page loads and offline functionality.

#5about 1 minute

Choosing micro-libraries over large frameworks

Instead of using large frameworks for small dynamic tasks, consider micro-libraries like Preact or petite-vue to reduce the JavaScript payload significantly.

#6about 4 minutes

Leveraging pre-compilers like Svelte and Astro

Pre-compilers such as Svelte and Astro convert component-based code into minimal vanilla JavaScript and HTML at build time, improving performance.

#7about 3 minutes

Relying on native browser features and the platform

Modern browsers offer native HTML and CSS solutions for common UI patterns like accordions and smooth scrolling, reducing the need for JavaScript.

#8about 1 minute

Recognizing the cyclical nature of web development trends

Web development moves in ten-year waves, from complex libraries to lightweight alternatives, eventually leading to platform adoption of the best ideas.

#9about 1 minute

The key takeaway is to ship less JavaScript

The most impactful way to improve web performance and resilience is to be more responsible and intentional about shipping as little JavaScript as possible.

#10about 4 minutes

Q&A on refactoring SPAs and page transitions

Discussion covers examples of companies moving from single-page apps to multi-page apps and the future of native browser APIs for page transition animations.

#11about 7 minutes

Q&A on web workers and native browser components

Web workers can offload tasks from the main thread to avoid blocking rendering, while native HTML components are a growing alternative to JavaScript-based UI.

#12about 8 minutes

Q&A on developer FOMO and framework standardization

The discussion addresses developer fear of missing out (FOMO) with a "just-in-time learning" strategy and weighs the benefits of framework standardization.