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Avoiding Large Layout Shifts

 Avoiding large layout shifts is essential for providing a smooth and user-friendly experience on your website. A layout shift occurs when the visible content on the screen unexpectedly moves, causing confusion and frustration for users. This can happen as a result of dynamically loaded content, delayed loading of resources, or changes in the DOM. To prevent large layout shifts, consider the following techniques:

  1. Set Dimensions for Images and Videos:

    • Always specify the dimensions (width and height) for images and videos in your HTML or CSS. This helps the browser reserve space for the media while it's being loaded, preventing sudden shifts when the media loads.

  2. Preload Key Resources:

    • Use the preload attribute for critical resources like fonts, stylesheets, and scripts. Preloading ensures that these resources are fetched early, reducing the likelihood of layout shifts caused by delayed loading.

  3. Use CSS for Aspect Ratios:

    • Instead of setting fixed heights or widths, use techniques like the padding-bottom trick to create responsive and consistent aspect ratios for elements like videos and iframes. This prevents layout shifts when the content loads.

  4. Avoid Dynamically Injected Content:

    • When dynamically adding content to the DOM, ensure that the space for the new content is reserved in advance. You can achieve this by setting the height or using CSS techniques like flexbox or grid layout.

  5. Use a Loading Skeleton:

    • Display a loading skeleton or placeholder for content that's being fetched or loaded asynchronously. This maintains the layout's structure while users wait for the actual content to appear.

  6. Minimize Font Loading Impact:

    • Use system fonts or font-display CSS property to control how web fonts are displayed while they load. This prevents text from shifting when the desired font is loaded.

  7. Avoid Ads and Third-Party Content Impact:

    • Ads and third-party content may load unpredictably and cause layout shifts. Consider placing such content in iframes to isolate their impact on the main content layout.

  8. Prioritize Above-the-Fold Content:

    • Load critical above-the-fold content first to ensure that users see the most important parts of your page without experiencing layout shifts.

  9. Use CSS Transitions:

    • When making style changes, use CSS transitions to create smooth animations rather than abruptly changing properties. This can reduce the visual impact of layout shifts.

  10. Test and Monitor:

    • Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, or WebPageTest to analyze your website's layout shift score. Regularly monitor your site's performance to catch and address any layout shift issues.

  11. Responsive Design:

    • Design your website responsively to ensure that it adapts well to different screen sizes and orientations, reducing the chances of layout shifts.

  12. Use Web Performance APIs:

    • Leverage Web Performance APIs like Intersection Observer to load content only when it's about to come into the user's viewport, reducing the potential for layout shifts caused by late content loading.

By implementing these strategies, you can minimize large layout shifts and provide a more consistent and pleasant user experience on your website.

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