After Yahoo! Developer Center released their analysing tool, YSlow!, last week. I just have a chace to try it with my blog today. Here is the result.
Let’s see what can I do to make my blog faster.
- Make fewer HTTP requests - My blog has 9 external javascript references. Half of them are Google Analytics, BeYello and Google Reader relates. I can’t do anything much for them. The rest are ASP.NET Ajax related scripts. I can use the AjaxControlToolkit and take advantages of ToolkitScriptManager to combine all scripts into one request. Luckily, Subtext Dev team has integrated YUI Compressor into the build script and has already implemented script combiner for next version of Subtext which will be released soon. As for CSS, I have to reimplement my custom skin to take the advantages of new Subtext’s CSS Handler.
- Use a CDN - I can’t afford for this thing. Pass.
- Add an Expires header - There’re 16 links that don’t have expires header. Since adding the expires header means I must have the permission to access IIS Manager which I don’t. I have nothing to do here. Pass.
- Gzip components - Normally, Subtext has an integrated GZip Module. But all of unGzippped components are images and javascripts which don’t pass through ASP.NET Pipeline. Same as HTTP Requests number, I should wait for next release of Subtext that can help me resolve this issue. Pass.
- Reduce DNS lookups - Front page of my blog has more than 4 domains. Again, they’re Google Analytics, BeYello, and Google Reader scripts.Nothing to do here either. Pass
- Minify JS - JavaScript plays an important part nowsaday. In production environment, every JavaScript libraries should be compressed. Subtext has an uncompressed common script but it has been resolved in the next release. The another is BeYello script, again.
- Configure ETags - Same as expires header and GZip components. Pass.
After analysed each part, I can make my score a little higher. While I waiting for next release of Subtext, I can compress my JS and combine my css.
Last but not least, remember that YSlow! suggestions are just suggestion. Sometimes their suggestions are good, but for some conditions. You can ignore them if they’re not suit but you have to know what you are doing. Check the other people advice on YSlow! before take any action.
PS. Beyello, if you can hear me, please compress your javascript to let your clients load your scripts faster and save your precious bandwidth. You service is great and don’t let this little thing spoils it. ;)
