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When you look at your response times, satisfied that they are "fast enough", you're forgetting an important thing: your users are on the other side of a network connection, and their browser has to process and render the data that you sent so quickly. This talk examines some often overlooked parts of web applications that can destroy your user experience even when your response times seem fantastic. We'll talk about networks, routing, client and server-side VMs, and how to measure and mitigate their issues.
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In the talk titled "Don't Forget the Network: Your App is Slower Than You Think," André Arko emphasizes the critical yet often overlooked aspects of web application performance that stem from network considerations. He discusses how the user experience can be negatively impacted even when response times appear satisfactory. Arko draws on his extensive experience with Ruby and web application development to highlight several key points: - **Understanding User Experience**: Users may experience delays that developers do not consider, which can stem from various network and routing issues. - **The Significance of Routing**: Routing is a crucial component of web applications. He notes that the time taken by routing layers can significantly affect the total response time, which is often underestimated by developers. - **Metrics and Measurements**: Many developers do not measure the time spent in routing layers or understand how different metrics relate to user experience. Tools like New Relic may not capture the complete picture of user waiting times, emphasizing the need for holistic request time measurement. - **Impact of Server Environments**: Arko points out the importance of being aware of how server conditions, including resource contention and garbage collection pauses, can affect application performance. He encourages utilizing profiling tools to gain insights into these issues. - **The Role of Monitoring in Performance Optimization**: Proactive monitoring can not only help identify performance bottlenecks across different geographical regions but also optimize resources based on specific application needs. - **Misleading Metrics**: Averages can often mask the reality of performance outliers. He advocates for using percentile metrics and understanding the distribution of data instead of solely relying on averages. - **Alerts and Alerts Fatigue**: Setting up alerts based on deviations from the known functioning baseline rather than just averages can help prevent alert fatigue and keep the focus on genuine performance issues. In conclusion, André Arko stresses that while developers often focus on code efficiency, understanding the network's role and measuring the overall user experience is essential for creating performant web applications. As the talk wraps up, he invites further discussion on the topic, highlighting its relevance for developers dedicated to enhancing user experiences.
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