Web Design for Speed

Have you ever noticed that some sites are muchsplit up all of the data on your web site. The first
faster than others. Or that some specific websitestable may consist of your logo and any header
take a notably larger amount of time to load thaninformation that you wish to include in your web
others? Have you ever seen a site that begins bydesign. A second table can be the actual content of
displaying only the background, and then shows thethe site. If your page happens to be especially big, a
text all at once several minutes later? This is the signthird table can be added, for example for a
of a poorly designed website, and you should makeparticularly large graphic or other sizeable element.
every effort to omit this web design mistake fromThis usually works quite well as the visitor will
your own works.immediately be able to see your logo and some of
Tables are frequently used among web designers forthe options offered by your web site as they wait
creating an attractive and effective site. However,for the rest of the page's content to load.
rarely do web designers create new tables for theYou can also choose to split up your content by
different segments of their content. Instead, theycreating tables within your tables. This will allow the
simply divide the cells into which they will be placingmain table to load first, displaying its own contents
their content - the lazy road. While this may workwhile the tables within it continue to load. This makes
very well if there are very few images - or nothe loading time of your page notably faster, and still
images at all - on your website, if this is not the case,provides the viewer with something to look at and
then you will only be convincing your visitors to leaveread as the page's sub-tables continue to load.
before they've even touched what your site has toAs an additional note, to continue to save on loading
offer them.time, it is discouraged that you should use elements
If your site has several images or is quite intense insuch as Java, Shockwave, and ActiveX programs
its graphic usage, consider using separate tables forwithin your tables. Instead, use JavaScript within your
dividing your content. The reasons for this are many,web page tables as it is much faster in its loading and
but straightforward.its execution.
The first reason you should split your content amongThese techniques are highly valued by web designers
several tables can be explained by understanding thewho prioritize fast loading websites, and who
way that internet browsers read tables in a web site.understand how important it is to get your content in
Within a standard HTML site, the browser will displayfront of your visitors as quickly as possible in order
the text and the images as they load. However,to discourage them from going elsewhere to find a
when tables come into play, the browser will waitfaster site.
until the entire page has loaded before any of itsWhenever possible, consider your visitors with slower
contents are displayed within your visitor's internetconnections - such as dial up - and test the speed of
browser. All that is required is one large graphic toyour site before finalizing its web design. Remember
slow down the display of your entire site from withinthat most visitors find it much easer and much more
fifteen seconds to over a minute. Therefore, it is forappealing to simply click away from a slow site and
precisely this reason that you should use separatefind a fast one than to wait forever for a sluggish
tables to split your graphics from other elements ofload. The rule of thumb is to have your first
your site. Simply format the border, cell spacing, andinformation up within 10 seconds for even the
cell padding at 0 so that the multiple tables are notslowest connections, and then build rapidly from
visible to your viewers.there, providing additional information and content
Using two or more tables is among the best ways tobefore the viewer can become bored or frustrated.