{"id":39050,"date":"2022-07-06T15:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=39050"},"modified":"2022-07-06T13:18:52","modified_gmt":"2022-07-06T11:18:52","slug":"how-to-make-fewer-http-requests-in-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-make-fewer-http-requests-in-wordpress\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Fewer HTTP Requests in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When are you done updating your website? Hopefully, never: using the latest version of all your themes and plugins is not just common sense, it is best practice in online safety. Similarly, you should always be looking into <strong>ways of making your website run smoother and faster<\/strong>, for reasons of both user experience and SEO, though this should take the back seat: safety is the priority. However, if you can spare your staff\u2019s time and effort on it, you should really see if there is a way to make your website load and run faster. And the more HTTP requests the website makes, the slower it is. In this article, we will be talking about ways to <strong>make fewer HTTP requests<\/strong> from your website. But that is not all.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Apart from reducing the number of <strong>HTTP requests<\/strong>, we would also like to get into what these requests are, what they do, and when you really do need them. Apart from that, we will provide you with several methods of <strong>reducing HTTP requests<\/strong> both in number and in the volume of slow-downs they cause. We will not be providing you with a checklist of absolute musts, though: think of this instead as an optimization toolkit.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Here\u2019s what we\u2019d like to talk about, and also what you can do to reduce the number of HTTP requests:<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;22px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#what-are-http-requests\">What Are HTTP Requests<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#why-make-fewer-http-requests\">Why Make Fewer HTTP Requests<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#how-to-analyze-http-requests\">How to Analyze HTTP Requests<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#use-http-2\">Use HTTP\/2<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#get-rid-of-useless-plugins\">Trim the Dead Weight: Get Rid of Useless Plugins<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#optimize-your-images\">Optimize Your Images<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#lazy-load-images-and-video\">Lazy Load Images And Video<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#optimize-your-database\">Optimize Your Database<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#optimize-your-fonts\">Optimize Your Fonts<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#disable-emojis\">Disable Emojis<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#use-cdn\">Use a CDN<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#minify-css-and-javascript-files\">Minify CSS and JavaScript Files<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#combine-css-files\">Combine CSS Files<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;5px&#8221;]<ul class=\"qodef-unordered-list-item qodef-toc\">\n    <li>\n\t        <div class=\"qodef-ul-title-holder\">\n            <span class=\"qodef-ul-title-content\"><a href=\"#eliminate-or-defer-render-blocking-javascript-and-css\">Eliminate or Defer Render-Blocking JavaScript and CSS<\/a><\/span>        <\/div>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;new-top-picks-banner&#8221;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;80px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"what-are-http-requests\"><\/a>What Are HTTP Requests<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"What Are HTTP Requests\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Whenever a visitor visits a website, their <strong>browser downloads all the files<\/strong> needed to display it for them. Each bit of the website needed to run it, commonly referred to as a resource or an asset, requires a request to your server. Resources can be anything from image files, to fonts, to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-css-guide\/\">CSS<\/a>, to JavaScript files. These requests are served by the server (hence its name) using the hypertext transfer protocol, or HTTP. That is why they are called HTTP requests.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"why-make-fewer-http-requests\"><\/a>Why Make Fewer HTTP Requests<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Each individual resource needs its own request \u2013 that is just an in-built characteristic of the internet. This means, for instance, that <strong>the speed of the website is determined not just by the size of the files required, but by their number as well<\/strong>. Each image you use, each JS effect, each plugin that uses its own CSS stylesheet means one more HTTP request.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]The fewer the HTTP requests made, the faster the website, in other words. There is a flip side, though: reducing the number of HTTP requests can come at the expense of aesthetics.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Now, not all HTTP requests are created equal. Smaller ones are less of a strain on server resources. Still, the principle remains: if you can achieve the same effect without even a single HTTP request, you will have made your website that much faster.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"how-to-analyze-http-requests\"><\/a>How to Analyze HTTP Requests<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"How to Analyze HTTP Requests\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There are several online tools you can use to detect and analyze the HTTP requests your website makes. We will be using <a href=\"https:\/\/gtmetrix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GTmetrix<\/a> for this demonstration.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]To check for speed issues on your website, enter a website\u2019s URL into the URL field and click the <strong>Test your site<\/strong> button.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test-Your-Site.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Test Your Site\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test-Your-Site.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test-Your-Site-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test-Your-Site-768x396.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Test-Your-Site-620x320.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You will be taken to a report screen outlining speed issues that may occur on your website. To see the individual HTTP requests, click on the <strong>Waterfall<\/strong> tab.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"589\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Waterfall\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-768x467.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-620x377.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Once there, you will see a list of resources requested and the amount of time it takes for them to be rendered by the visitor\u2019s browser. Here, you can easily isolate individual requests that take a long time to serve. Hovering over any single one you can assess it in detail. You can also filter them by choosing a filter from the menu above the table or using the search field.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;50px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder   qodef-has-border \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-Report.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Waterfall Report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-Report.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-Report-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-Report-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Waterfall-Report-620x448.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Now that you have identified your problem or problems, though, what can you do about them? Possibly nothing, but, equally possibly, loads.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"use-http-2\"><\/a>Use HTTP\/2<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<strong>HTTP\/2 is an improved version of the old HTTP protocol.<\/strong> HTTP\/2 allows for asynchronous loading of files, making HTTP requests easier to serve, if not fewer in number. This is done by loading multiple resources at the same time using a single connection. How can you do that, though? Unless you are your own hosting provider, you can\u2019t switch to HTTP\/2 \u2013 that is part of your service package.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You can use a tool such as <a href=\"https:\/\/geekflare.com\/tools\/http2-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Geekflare\u2019s HTTP\/2 Test<\/a> to check whether your website uses HTTP\/2. If not, consult your hosting provider and learn whether it is possible to remedy that. If it isn\u2019t, take a look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-wordpress-migration-plugins\/\">list of WordPress migration plugins<\/a> \u2013 and consider changing your hosting provider. You should not settle for obsolete technology, if not for reasons of loading speed, then for reasons of security.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"get-rid-of-useless-plugins\"><\/a>Trim the Dead Weight: Get Rid of Useless Plugins<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Trim the Dead Weight: Get Rid of Useless Plugins\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/03.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/03-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/03-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/03-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]As we\u2019ve mentioned before, if you are using a lot of plugins, chances are they are slowing up your website. If you are using a speed testing tool, you can find all your plugin-related requests by filtering for the word plugin, as WordPress stores all your plugin resources in the folder <em>wp-content\/plugin<\/em>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]You may have <strong>installed a plugin that you don\u2019t use<\/strong>, or you may have used a plugin at some point, but are not using it anymore. If you haven\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/uninstall-wordpress-plugin\/\">deactivated and uninstalled such a plugin<\/a>, it may still be loading, completely unnecessarily.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]If there are multiple plugins that provide you with the functionality you need, and if you can afford all of them, try picking the ones which make fewer HTTP requests. You can typically find the details in the plugins\u2019 documentation if you are an advanced user. If not, test the free ones: you can use the speed testing tools yourself.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"optimize-your-images\"><\/a>Optimize Your Images<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/04.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/04-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/04-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/04-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Now, there is a lot to be said about optimizing images \u2013 enough to merit its own article. This is exactly the reason why we have a whole article about <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-optimize-wordpress-database\/\">how to optimize images<\/a> for your WordPress website. We will go over the basics here, though.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]For the purposes of making fewer HTTP requests, we will repeat what we have said for the plugins: <strong>remove anything you don\u2019t really need<\/strong>. Some websites rely heavily on visuals, though, and that can\u2019t be helped. There are ways to compress image files or change to a different file format, for instance, and you should make use of them. And, while you\u2019re at it, do not neglect to optimize your images\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/image-titles-and-alt-text-in-wordpress\/\">alt text<\/a> as well.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"lazy-load-images-and-video\"><\/a>Lazy Load Images And Video<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/05.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Lazy Load Images And Video\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/05.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/05-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/05-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/05-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Lazy loading is the practice of <strong>postponing loading an element until it\u2019s needed<\/strong>. Say an important video is at the bottom of a page (below the fold), and therefore not immediately visible to a visitor who loads said page. Do you need to load it before the visitor starts interacting with your website? Of course not.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-add-lazy-load-to-wordpress\/\">Implementing lazy loading<\/a> in WordPress is easy: it doesn\u2019t require you to do anything in particular. Simply update your WordPress to version 5.5 or newer, which you should have done anyway. Lazy loading is a core feature from version 5.5. If, for whatever reason, you are deferring updating to version 5.5 of WordPress, many <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wordpress-image-compression-plugins\/\">image compression plugins<\/a> offer a lazy loading feature, too.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"optimize-your-database\"><\/a>Optimize Your Database<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Your <strong>images and video files are likely the slowest to load<\/strong>, but they are not the only thing you should be looking at. For best results in terms of both speed and storage space, consult our <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-optimize-wordpress-database\/\">in-depth guide on database optimization<\/a> in WordPress.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"optimize-your-fonts\"><\/a>Optimize Your Fonts<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Optimize Your Fonts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/06-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Fonts are graphics that are mostly used to render text, and are generally the easiest way to customize the appearance of your text. Certain fonts, called <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-add-icon-fonts-in-wordpress\/\">icon fonts<\/a>, have a different purpose: they provide easily scalable icons for your website. <strong>Each font, though, means a new HTTP request.<\/strong> If you can make do with fewer, get rid of the excess. Even <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-host-google-fonts-locally-in-wordpress\/\">hosting Google fonts locally<\/a> will improve your website\u2019s loading speed.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"disable-emojis\"><\/a>Disable Emojis<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/07.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Disable Emojis\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/07.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/07-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/07-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/07-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]There are plenty of reasons not to use emojis, their being in poor taste not the least important. However, there is no denying that, like cockroaches, they are widespread. For that very reason, <strong>WordPress uses scripts that support the rendering of emojis<\/strong> for older browsers. This change to WordPress\u2019s core mechanics dates from 2015, and most browsers have no difficulty rendering emojis. WordPress\u2019s scripts? They still load. Unless you are catering specifically to visitors who use older browsers, <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/how-to-disable-emojis-in-wordpress\/\">disable the emoji scripts<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"use-cdn\"><\/a>Use a CDN<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/08.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Use a CDN\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/08.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/08-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/08-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/08-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]CDN stands for <em>Content Delivery Network<\/em>. It is a tool that ensures that <strong>a request is served from a server that is geographically the closest<\/strong> to the computer making the request. If you use a <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/what-is-a-cdn\/\">CDN<\/a>, parts of your website are cached \u2013 stored \u2013 across different servers and requests are served more quickly. We even have a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/best-wordpress-cdn-services\/\">our favorite CDN services<\/a>, but they come at a premium. Not only that: they are not efficient when <a href=\"#minify-css-and-javascript-files\">dealing with CSS files<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"minify-css-and-javascript-files\"><\/a>Minify CSS and JavaScript Files<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Best practices in coding dictate that it should be written in such a way as to be understood by humans. Not just any humans, though: primarily this refers to coders. However, this makes code slower to execute, as the computer generally doesn\u2019t care whether the version of code it is using is easily legible to humans as well. This is what <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/minify-css-javascript-files-in-wordpress\/\">code minification<\/a> is, in a nutshell: it <strong>makes code smaller and quicker to execute<\/strong>, at the expense of legibility to humans.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"combine-css-files\"><\/a>Combine CSS Files<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Having <strong>a lot of CSS files means needing a lot of HTTP requests<\/strong> for the website to load. This, in turn, takes a lot of time to process. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/combine-external-css\/\">combine CSS files<\/a> in WordPress \u2013 in case you need to. You won\u2019t need to if you are <a href=\"#use-http-2\">using the HTTP\/2 protocol<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\"><a id=\"eliminate-or-defer-render-blocking-javascript-and-css\"><\/a>Eliminate or Defer Render-Blocking JavaScript and CSS<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;21px&#8221;]<div class=\"qodef-single-image-holder    \">\n    <div class=\"qodef-si-inner\" >\n                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"969\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Eliminate or Defer Render-Blocking JavaScript and CSS\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09.jpg 969w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/09-620x354.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 969px) 100vw, 969px\" \/>                        <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=&#8221;38px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Render-blocking means that a CSS stylesheet or a JavaScript script is loaded, but <strong>isn\u2019t needed to run the portion of the web page visible<\/strong> to the user. Plugins and themes add CSS stylesheets and JavaScript scripts to your website, and if they don\u2019t work together very well, they may be loading when they are not needed. Fortunately, there are ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/eliminate-render-blocking-resources\/\">resolve render-blocking<\/a> using a specialized plugin.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;68px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"qodef-h4\">In Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As you can see, there is a lot you can do to reduce the number of HTTP requests in WordPress. Some of these things are better suited for advanced users, while others involve little more than installing a plugin and letting it run. With fewer HTTP requests comes greater speed and a better user experience overall.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;28px&#8221;][vc_column_text]Your website could likely always be running a little better. If you can spare the time and effort, optimize it to the best of your abilities.<br \/>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can improve your website&#8217;s performance and your visitors&#8217; experience: simply make fewer HTTP requests. We will show you how.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16990,"featured_media":39357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[163,4,13],"class_list":["post-39050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-performance","tag-tips","tag-wordpress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16990"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39050\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}