In today's digital age, the performance of your website is crucial for success. It affects not only your search engine rankings and user experience but also your organization's financial success. That's why it's crucial to consistently monitor your website's performance metrics. By doing

so, you can quickly identify any issues and take proactive steps to improve its speed, usability, and overall effectiveness. It can also help your organization troubleshoot technical problems and determine where to invest time and resources for your website.Indeed, tracking site performance data is indispensable for your organization's success in the digital realm.

Which tools are recommended for tracking performance data, and what sets them apart? Two of the most widely used tools for analyzing website performance are LightHouse and PageSpeed Insights. They stand out for their user-friendly interfaces and clear presentation of issues affecting page speed. Moreover, they provide valuable comparative insights by offering straightforward audits that benchmark your site's performance against others.

Lighthouse is an open-source auditing tool created by Google that you can run from the command line or a Chrome extension. Lighthouse, introduced in 2016, has emerged as a leading tool for auditing web pages, offering assessment capabilities for performance, accessibility, and Progressive Web App (PWA) features. A Lighthouse audit is instrumental in pinpointing potential issues with your website and offering actionable steps to enhance its performance. Developers often rely on Lighthouse to conduct tests on new website features or changes before deployment, ensuring smooth functionality and optimal performance. Auditing your website with Lighthouse enables your developers to guarantee a high-quality user experience and pinpoint any potential trouble spots before deploying new features.

PageSpeed Insights is solely accessible as a web-based tool, while Lighthouse offers the flexibility of installation as a Chrome extension. Moreover, PageSpeed Insights exclusively offers data for individual pages, whereas Lighthouse extends its audit capabilities to evaluate the performance of your entire website. Additionally, PageSpeed Insights primarily focuses on page-level performance metrics, whereas Lighthouse encompasses a broader spectrum of evaluation, including factors like SEO and accessibility.

A significant distinction between Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights lies in the level of detail provided for each measured item. Lighthouse offers granular information, indicating not only whether an image is optimized but also suggesting the ideal size for the optimized version. This depth of insight proves invaluable for identifying precise areas requiring optimization on your website.

PageSpeed Insights is solely accessible as a web-based tool, while Lighthouse offers the flexibility of installation as a Chrome extension. Moreover, PageSpeed Insights exclusively offers data for individual pages, whereas Lighthouse extends its audit capabilities to evaluate the performance of your entire website. Additionally, PageSpeed Insights primarily focuses on page-level performance metrics, whereas Lighthouse encompasses a broader spectrum of evaluation, including factors like SEO and accessibility.

To summarize their differences:

• Lighthouse conducts audits for entire websites, providing a holistic view of performance across multiple pages. Conversely, PageSpeed Insights focuses solely on individual pages, offering insights into their specific performance metrics.
• Lighthouse goes beyond speed metrics to provide insights into various critical performance factors, including accessibility, Progressive Web App (PWA) features, SEO, and more. On the other hand, PageSpeed Insights primarily concentrates on assessing and optimizing page-level speed.
• Lighthouse was released in 2016 while PageSpeed Insights was released well before it in 2010

Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights are both tools created by Google for assessing web performance, but they may produce different reports due to several factors. Let's explore these factors and understand how they contribute to the discrepancies in their reports.

1. Test Location

‍Test location denotes the geographic region from which the server conducted the performance tests. It helps to provide an accurate assessment of real-world performance, considering the specific network conditions of the test region. ‍Page Speed Insights uses Google's servers worldwide. It is an automated tool that runs from Google's servers and tests how quickly a page loads from various locations worldwide. Conversely, Lighthouse conducts tests using the Chrome browser within your local environment. The manual tool, Lighthouse, operates within your local Chrome browser and evaluates a webpage's performance, accessibility, and adherence to best practices. Therefore, Page Speed Insights is preferable for obtaining an overarching perspective of a page's load performance. Meanwhile, Lighthouse excels in providing more intricate and actionable guidance for enhancing a page's performance.

2. Network Throttling

‍It refers to an artificial technique for decreasing network speeds, commonly employed to replicate various network connections on a web page. The network throttling technique evaluates the performance of a website or web application under different network conditions.

‍Network throttling measures modifications made to the website and determines if those modifications can improve the site's performance under those network conditions. Tests performed with throttled connections may result in a lower score from both Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights. Page Speed Insights typically evaluates the website without throttling on a fast connection and then simulates the page's loading performance on a slower connection. Conversely, Lighthouse within Chrome DevTools offers options for simulated and browser-level "applied" throttling. With browser-level applied throttling, the browser introduces a delay to each network response, mimicking the effects of a slower connection.

3. CPU Performance

‍CPU performance assesses the efficiency of your website's JavaScript code execution on the user's device or computer. Indeed, CPU performance plays a crucial role in page speed, directly influencing the time it takes for a website to load and render its interactive elements.

Certainly, Google takes CPU performance into account when assessing website page speed, recognizing that slower CPU performance can result in delayed page loading and ultimately lead to a subpar user experience. By measuring CPU performance, Google can provide website owners with optimization tips to help improve their website's performance.

PageSpeed Insights assesses the CPU performance of a page by analyzing the duration required for complete page loading, encompassing resources such as images, JavaScript, and HTML. This performance time is juxtaposed against the average completion time for similar processes across all comparable websites, enabling PageSpeed Insights to allocate a score based on CPU performance. Additionally, PageSpeed Insights provides recommendations and optimization tips to help website owners improve their page's CPU performance. Lighthouse audit reports provide detailed data on various aspects of CPU performance, such as total CPU time, DOMContentLoaded time, and first contentful paint time. Armed with this information, website owners can gain insights into the factors affecting their page performance and make informed adjustments to enhance their website speed.

4. Chrome Version

‍‍Indeed, various versions of Chrome can produce different scores on Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights assessments. Newer iterations may introduce performance enhancements that result in quicker loading times, potentially influencing the scores generated by these tools. Page Speed Insights employs the most recent version of Chrome, which may differ from the version utilized by the end user, potentially resulting in inaccurate results. Lighthouse tests are performed using the same version of Chrome as that utilized by the end user.‍ Methods used by browsers to measure performance indicators are continuously evolving. Chrome changelogs can illustrate how the definitions of metrics such as First Contentful Paint, Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, and Cumulative Layout Shift have evolved.

5. Lighthouse Version

‍The version of Lighthouse utilized for conducting the test can indeed influence the score. Google frequently updates Lighthouse, altering the methodology of tests over time, and the relative importance of different indicators in determining the overall performance score may also vary. ‍

Page Speed Insights does not take into account the specific version of Lighthouse being used. It uses a standard version for testing. Lighthouse, however, takes into consideration the version of Lighthouse being utilized by the user.

6. Different Settings

‍‍Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights indeed employ different timeout settings to determine when a test concludes. Consequently, they may yield varying results based on how rapidly a page renders or completes loading. It's crucial to comprehend the timeout settings for both tools.

Page Speed Insights does not take into account any additional settings enabled or disabled in the Chrome browser. Conversely, Lighthouse considers such additional settings that may affect the performance of the website.

7. Chrome Extensions

‍Certain Chrome extensions can also affect the score. That's correct. Chrome extensions could impact your performance ratings when running Lighthouse within Chrome DevTools. However, Page Speed Insights disregards any extensions users might install in the Chrome browser, focusing solely on the inherent performance of the website. However, Google Lighthouse takes into account any extensions installed in the Chrome browser during its evaluation. To perform tests with extensions disabled, you can utilize Incognito mode or create a new Chrome profile. This ensures a clean testing environment unaffected by any extensions that may alter performance metrics.

Absolutely, both Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights offer significant value in enhancing website performance. Lighthouse, with its flexibility and detailed insights, is particularly adept at providing comprehensive information. It can audit an entire website and evaluate factors like accessibility and SEO in addition to performance. While PageSpeed Insights focuses on individual pages, both tools can offer critical insights to help teams work more effectively and achieve better outcomes in terms of website performance.

Performance:

• Definition: Lighthouse's "Performance" metric assesses how quickly a web page loads. It considers various factors such as First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Time to Interactive (TTI), and more.
• Measuring Difference: Differences in performance metrics can highlight areas where a website may experience delays or exhibit sluggish behavior. Developers use these metrics to pinpoint and address performance bottlenecks, optimizing the loading experience for users.

Accessibility:

• Definition: The "Accessibility" metric evaluates how well a web page caters to users with diverse abilities and disabilities. It considers aspects such as proper HTML structure, alternative text for images, keyboard navigation, and other accessibility best practices.
• Measuring Difference: Discrepancies in accessibility scores indicate areas where improvements are needed to ensure that the website is usable and navigable by all users, including those with disabilities.

Best Practices:

• Definition: The "Best Practices" metric assesses adherence to web development best practices, security standards, and other guidelines. It looks at elements such as the use of HTTPS, secure coding practices, and avoidance of deprecated technologies.
• Measuring Difference: Deviations from best practices can indicate potential security vulnerabilities or outdated technologies. Addressing these issues ensures that the website is secure, follows industry standards, and is built with maintainability in mind.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

• Definition: Lighthouse's "SEO" metric evaluates a web page's adherence to SEO best practices. It considers factors such as the presence of meta tags, structured data, and other elements that contribute to search engine visibility.
• Measuring Difference: Discrepancies in SEO scores signal areas where improvements can enhance a website's visibility in search engine results. Optimizing for SEO ensures that the website is more discoverable by search engines, leading to increased organic traffic.

Measuring Difference:

• Lighthouse: Lighthouse provides a detailed and customizable approach to performance measurement, allowing developers to assess specific aspects of a website. The differences in scores and recommendations highlight where optimizations are needed..
• Google PageSpeed Insights: PageSpeed Insights, with its focus on real user experiences, provides insights into how users perceive a website's performance. Differences in field data metrics compared to lab data help developers align optimizations with actual user expectations.

1. Optimize Images:

Use compressed and appropriately sized images to reduce file sizes without compromising quality. Consider using modern image formats like WebP, which offer better compression than traditional formats.

2. Minimize HTTP Requests:

Reduce the number of elements on a page (CSS, JavaScript, images) to minimize HTTP requests. Combine and minify files where possible.

3. Enable Browser Caching:

Set up caching headers to instruct browsers to cache static resources. This reduces the need for repeated downloads for returning visitors.

4. Utilize Content Delivery Networks (CDNs):

Distribute your content across servers geographically to reduce latency. CDNs store copies of your static assets in multiple locations for faster access.

5. Optimize Server Response Time:

Optimize server-side code and database queries to reduce the time it takes to generate and deliver a response.

6. Implement Lazy Loading:

Load images and other non-critical resources only when they are about to enter the user's viewport. This reduces initial page load times.

7. Minimize and Asynchronously Load JavaScript:

Minify and compress JavaScript files, and load non-essential scripts asynchronously to prevent blocking the rendering of the page.

8. Optimize CSS Delivery:

Minimize CSS files, combine them where possible, and use techniques like critical CSS to prioritize loading essential styles first.

9. Implement Browser Rendering Optimization:

Optimize the critical rendering path to ensure a faster initial page load. Prioritize and optimize the loading of resources that are necessary for rendering above-the-fold content.

10. Monitor and Optimize Third-Party Scripts:

Evaluate the impact of third-party scripts on your page load times. Consider deferring or asynchronously loading non-essential third-party scripts.

11. Use Web Fonts Wisely:

Minimize the number of font variations and weights. Consider using system fonts or font-display: swap; to prevent delays in text rendering.

12. Gzip Compression:

Enable Gzip or Brotli compression on your server to decrease the size of text-based resources such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Both Lighthouse and Google PageSpeed Insights are powerful tools for assessing and improving website performance, each with its own strengths. The choice between the two depends on your specific use case and whether you prioritize automation, customization, or real user-centric metrics. Ultimately, incorporating both tools into your performance optimization strategy can provide a comprehensive approach to delivering an exceptional user experience on your website.