What is Lazy Loading?
Delaying the loading of content or code until it is actually needed.
Why It Matters
Lazy loading speeds up initial page load by only downloading what the user can see right now.
Real-World Example
Images below the fold only load as the user scrolls down to them, not when the page first loads.
“Understanding terms like Lazy Loading matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”
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Related Terms
Code Splitting
Breaking your application's code into smaller chunks that load only when needed.
Prefetching
Loading resources in advance before the user actually requests them to make navigation feel instant.
Cache
A temporary storage that keeps copies of frequently accessed data for faster retrieval
CDN
A network of servers around the world that stores copies of your content closer to users
Throttling
Slowing down requests instead of blocking them entirely when limits are approached
Latency
The time delay between a request and its response