Load Images For The Web Site From The Server Side Rather Than .wasm

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Introduction

As a website visitor, you want to have gallery images loaded dynamically from the server rather than bundled within the .wasm file, so that the application's initial load is faster and runtime constraints are reduced—especially on slower connections. In this article, we will explore the benefits of shifting image retrieval to an asynchronous, server-driven approach and how it can improve performance, reduce bandwidth usage during the initial load, and allow for better caching strategies.

Current Challenges with Embedded Images

Currently, gallery images are embedded within the .wasm payload, increasing the download size and slowing down startup. This approach has several drawbacks:

  • Increased download size: Bundling images within the .wasm file results in a larger payload, which can lead to slower download times and increased bandwidth usage.
  • Slower startup: The larger payload size can cause the application to take longer to load, resulting in a slower user experience.
  • Limited caching: When images are embedded within the .wasm file, they are not cached by the browser, leading to repeated requests and slower performance.

Benefits of Server-Driven Image Loading

By shifting image retrieval to an asynchronous, server-driven approach, the application can load its core functionality and then fetch images on demand. This approach offers several benefits:

  • Improved performance: The application can load its core functionality quickly, and then fetch images on demand, resulting in a faster user experience.
  • Reduced bandwidth usage: By loading images on demand, the application reduces bandwidth usage during the initial load, resulting in faster download times.
  • Better caching strategies: The application can take advantage of browser caching and service worker caching to store images locally, reducing the need for repeated requests.

Acceptance Criteria

To ensure that the server-driven image loading approach meets the requirements, the following acceptance criteria must be met:

Initial Load Performance

  • The .wasm payload no longer includes any gallery images: The .wasm payload should not include any gallery images to reduce its size and improve performance.
  • The core Blazor WebAssembly app loads and displays its layout within a target time: The application should load its core functionality and display its layout within a target time (e.g., under 2 seconds on standard networks).

Image Loading Behavior

  • Gallery image URLs are retrieved from a designated server-side API endpoint: The application should retrieve gallery image URLs from a designated server-side API endpoint.
  • Images are loaded asynchronously after the initial UI renders: The application should load images asynchronously after the initial UI renders, resulting in a faster user experience.

Placeholder & Fallback Handling

  • While gallery images are being fetched, appropriate placeholders (or skeleton loaders) are shown: The application should display placeholders or skeleton loaders while gallery images are being fetched.
  • If an image fails to load, a fallback image or error indicator is displayed: The application should display a fallback image or error indicator if an image fails to load.

Caching and Re-fetching

  • Once loaded, images are cached locally (using browser cache or service worker caching) to avoid unnecessary repeated requests: The application should cache images locally using browser caching or service worker caching to avoid unnecessary repeated requests.
  • If updated images are available on the server, the system should detect these changes and refresh the images appropriately: The application should detect changes in images on the server and refresh the images accordingly.

Scalability & Maintainability

  • The API endpoint for gallery images must support pagination or lazy-loading to handle large galleries: The API endpoint for gallery images should support pagination or lazy-loading to handle large galleries.
  • Documentation is updated to reflect the new image loading architecture and any potential changes in deployment or performance testing procedures: The documentation should be updated to reflect the new image loading architecture and any potential changes in deployment or performance testing procedures.

Ensuring Security and Performance

To ensure that the server-driven image loading approach is secure and performs well, the following considerations should be taken into account:

  • Ensure the server API is secured and follows best practices for content delivery: The server API should be secured and follow best practices for content delivery to ensure that images are delivered securely and efficiently.
  • Evaluate network speeds and memory constraints, especially for mobile users, to ensure that dynamic image loading doesn’t adversely affect user experience: The application should evaluate network speeds and memory constraints, especially for mobile users, to ensure that dynamic image loading doesn’t adversely affect user experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shifting image retrieval to an asynchronous, server-driven approach can improve performance, reduce bandwidth usage during the initial load, and allow for better caching strategies. By following the acceptance criteria outlined in this article, developers can ensure that their application meets the requirements for server-driven image loading and provides a better user experience.

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the benefits of shifting image retrieval to an asynchronous, server-driven approach and how it can improve performance, reduce bandwidth usage during the initial load, and allow for better caching strategies. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about server-driven image loading to help you better understand this approach.

Q&A

Q: What are the benefits of server-driven image loading?

A: Server-driven image loading offers several benefits, including improved performance, reduced bandwidth usage during the initial load, and better caching strategies. By loading images on demand, the application can reduce its payload size, resulting in faster download times and a better user experience.

Q: How does server-driven image loading improve performance?

A: Server-driven image loading improves performance by allowing the application to load its core functionality quickly and then fetch images on demand. This approach reduces the need for repeated requests and allows the application to take advantage of browser caching and service worker caching.

Q: What is the difference between server-driven image loading and client-side image loading?

A: Server-driven image loading involves loading images from a server-side API endpoint, whereas client-side image loading involves loading images directly from the client-side. Server-driven image loading offers several benefits, including improved performance, reduced bandwidth usage, and better caching strategies.

Q: How do I implement server-driven image loading in my application?

A: To implement server-driven image loading in your application, you will need to create a server-side API endpoint that returns image URLs. You will then need to modify your application to load images from this endpoint using an asynchronous approach.

Q: What are some best practices for implementing server-driven image loading?

A: Some best practices for implementing server-driven image loading include:

  • Ensuring the server API is secured and follows best practices for content delivery
  • Evaluating network speeds and memory constraints, especially for mobile users
  • Using browser caching and service worker caching to store images locally
  • Detecting changes in images on the server and refreshing the images accordingly

Q: How do I handle image loading failures in server-driven image loading?

A: To handle image loading failures in server-driven image loading, you can display a fallback image or error indicator. You can also use a placeholder or skeleton loader to display while the image is being fetched.

Q: Can I use server-driven image loading with other image loading approaches?

A: Yes, you can use server-driven image loading with other image loading approaches, such as lazy loading or infinite scrolling. Server-driven image loading can be used in conjunction with other approaches to improve performance and reduce bandwidth usage.

Q: What are some common challenges associated with server-driven image loading?

A: Some common challenges associated with server-driven image loading include:

  • Ensuring the server API is secure and follows best practices for content delivery
  • Evaluating network speeds and memory constraints, especially for mobile users
  • Handling image loading failures and displaying fallback images or error indicators
  • Detecting changes in images on the server and refreshing the images accordingly

Conclusion

In conclusion, server-driven image loading offers several benefits, improved performance, reduced bandwidth usage during the initial load, and better caching strategies. By understanding the benefits and challenges associated with server-driven image loading, you can make informed decisions about how to implement this approach in your application.