Use an Optimization Tool
Summary: Web page analysis and optimization tools can help locate and minimize performance bottlenecks. They can improve accessibility, spelling, XHTML markup, and even search engine visibility. We survey the webpage optimization tool landscape.
Sure you can remove whitespace by hand, but why bother? A number of web page analysis and optimization tools are available that can help locate performance bottlenecks and automate whitespace and redundant code removal. But some tools don't stop there. You can optimize your JavaScript and images and even CSS with some of these tools. While no replacement for hand-tuned CSS-based pages, webpage optimization tools can give you a good start on your web page dietary plan. Webpage Analysis Tools
Page analysis tools break down web pages into sized components and calculate download speeds at different bandwidths. They can be used to help pinpoint where your problem pages are, and show which parts of these pages need your attention. They can also be used to validate your code, spellcheck your text, check accessibility, check your links, and even compute search engine visibility. Having well-formed valid code makes your visitor's browser work less parsing your code. Here are some popular webpage analysis tools.
- Bobby
- Web-based and PC-based accessibility checker.
- Dr. HTML
- Analyzes web pages online or on the desktop for spelling errors, valid links and HTML, image size, and offers a "squished" version of your HTML page.
- Dr. Watson
- HTML and Link validation, spell checking, site popularity, search engine compatibility, download speed and more.
- NetMechanic
- Fix your HTML pages and optimize your images at NetMechanic.com.
- The W3C CSS Validator
- Check your CSS based on the W3C specifications.
- The W3C HTML Validator
- The de-facto XHTML markup validation service checks your XHTML and finds errors based on W3C specifications.
- Web Page Analyzer
- HCI-based web page size and speed analyzer. Breaks pages down into sized components, pinpoints problem areas, and offers advice based on HCI research.
HTML Optimization Tools
Once you've located where the performance bottlenecks are, and validated your code it's time to optimize. A number of companies offer XHTML optimization programs, and some optimize CSS, JavaScript, and images. Here are a few examples.
- HTML Optimizer Pro
- Tonbrand Software offers a range of optimizers capable of optimizing HTML, XHTML, JavaScript, VBScript, JScript, CFScript, Java, CSS, PHP, ASP, JSP, CSP and LassoScript.
- SiteSqueeze
- Insiderlabs' server-based web site optimizer removes superfluous whitespace and redundant code, optimizes images and more.
- VSE Website Turbo
- Mac-based web page optimizer.
- w3compiler
- Windows-based source code optimizer from Port80 Software. Optimizes XHTML, CSS, ASP, and CFM files. Includes JavaScript parser.
Conclusion
Web page analysis and optimization tools can quickly help locate and minimize performance bottlenecks. While no substitute for hand-tuned CSS-based web pages, webpage optimizers offer a quick way to validate and minimize your code. Keep in mind that after optimization, a fat, poorly constructed web page will still be a minimized overweight web page. Only through transforming your page using modern CSS-based style and layout can you maximize performance gains.
Further Reading
- Extreme HTML Optimization
- How-to article on no-holds-barred HTML optimization techniques by the author.
- HTML Optimization
- Summary of chapter on optimizing HTML from Speed Up Your Site: Web Site Optimization.
- Remove Whitespace
- Whitespace removal eliminates unnecessary spaces, tabs, and returns for your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code for faster downloads. From Speed Tweak of the Week.
By website optimization on 22 Jun 2004 PM
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