Jank

Jank is a term used to describe any performance issues or problems that negatively impact the user experience on a website. Jank can occur on any website, but it is most commonly associated with websites that are slow to load, have poor performance, or are unresponsive to user input. The term “jank” is often used by developers and designers to describe any issues that cause the website to feel slow, laggy or unresponsive.

Types of Jank

There are several types of jank that can occur on a website. These include:

Layout Jank

Layout jank occurs when the browser is unable to keep up with the page’s layout changes, resulting in a slow or stuttering animation.

For example, if an animation is running on a web page, and the browser is unable to keep up with the changes in the layout, the animation may appear to stutter or skip frames. This can be frustrating for users, and can make the website feel slow and unresponsive.

Input Jank

Input jank occurs when the website is unresponsive to user input, such as clicks or taps on buttons or links.

For example, if a user clicks on a button on a web page, and the website is slow to respond, the user may click the button multiple times, causing the website to become unresponsive. This can be frustrating for users, and can lead to a poor user experience.

Scrolling Jank

Scrolling jank occurs when the website is slow to respond to scrolling movements, resulting in a stuttering or jerky scrolling experience.

For example, if a user is scrolling down a web page, and the website is slow to respond to the scrolling movements, the scrolling experience may appear to be stuttering or jerky. This can be frustrating for users, and can make the website feel slow and unresponsive.

Loading Jank

Loading jank occurs when the website is slow to load, resulting in a delayed or unresponsive user experience.

For example, if a user visits a website, and the website is slow to load, the user may become frustrated and leave the website before it has fully loaded. This can lead to a poor user experience, and can result in lost traffic and revenue for the website owner.

Causes of Jank

There are several common causes of jank on a website. These include:

JavaScript Issues

JavaScript is a common cause of jank on a website. JavaScript is a scripting language used to create interactive and dynamic user experiences on a website. However, poorly optimized or inefficient JavaScript code can cause the website to become slow and unresponsive.

Large Images or Videos

Large images or videos can also cause jank on a website. When a web page contains large images or videos, it can take longer for the page to load, resulting in a delayed or unresponsive user experience.

Uncached Resources

Uncached resources, such as JavaScript files or images, can also cause jank on a website. When resources are not cached, the website must download these resources every time the page is loaded, which can slow down the user experience.

Poor Server Performance

Poor server performance can also cause jank on a website. When a website is hosted on a server that is not optimized for performance, it can take longer for the website to load, resulting in a delayed or unresponsive user experience.

How to Prevent Jank

There are several steps that developers and designers can take to prevent jank on a website. These include:

Optimizing JavaScript

To prevent jank caused by JavaScript issues, developers can optimize their JavaScript code. This includes minimizing the use of global variables, using efficient loops, and minimizing the use of expensive operations.

Compressing Images and Videos

To prevent jank caused by large images or videos, designers can compress their images and videos using tools like Adobe Photoshop or Handbrake. This can reduce the file size of these resources, making them faster to load.

Caching Resources

To prevent jank caused by uncached resources, developers can use caching techniques to store resources locally on the user’s device. This can reduce the amount of time required to download these resources, resulting in a faster and more responsive user experience.

Optimizing Server Performance

To prevent jank caused by poor server performance, website owners can optimize their server performance by using a content delivery network (CDN), reducing the number of HTTP requests, and using a caching system like Memcached or Redis.