Font AwesomeHave you ever noticed that when it’s time to launch a new site, there always seems to be some last-minute hassles that threaten to derail your ship date?
Yeah, us too. And it’s frigging annoying.
You’re putting the finishing touches on the site, and put it through the paces with a speed insights tool aaaaand your load times are slow as molasses. Doh!
Well, you’re not alone in your frustration. It’s not uncommon for icons to be the slowness culprit. Well, fear not. We’ve got some tips for how you can optimize your icons and get your site zipping along in no time.
In this blog, we’ll take a peek at how lazy loading, caching, compression, CSS sprites, HTTP/2, and subsetting can optimize your icons and turbocharge your site.
Lazy Loading: The Art of Procrastination (That Actually Works)
Is there ever a smart way to procrastinate? Well, with lazy loading, there just may be.
Lazy loading is like telling your icons to chill backstage until they’re needed on set. By delaying the loading of noncritical resources (not that icons are noncritical, heavens no!), lazy loading optimizes your icons and improves web performance. Instead of loading all content upfront, lazy loading waits until the user needs it.
For icons, this means:
- Initial page load: Only icons visible in the viewport are loaded.
- As the user scrolls, additional icons are loaded just before they come into view.
That’s good for the user because:
- Faster initial page load times
- Reduced bandwidth usage
- Improved performance, especially on mobile devices
Lazy loading ensures users get what they need when they need it, without the wait. Putting lazy loading to good use with Font Awesome is a breeze with just a few lines of code. Your icons will appear as users scroll, optimizing your icons for better performance.
Here’s a simple example of how you can implement lazy loading for images using JavaScript and the IntersectionObserver API ((Code courtesy of our very own Rob Madole):
<!DOCTYPE html> |
An explanation of this lazy loading code …
- HTML: The icons are given a data-icon-class attribute to hold the actual icon name and styling attributes, and the class attribute is set to lazy-load to identify them.
- JavaScript:
- DOMContentLoaded Event: Ensures the script runs after the DOM is fully loaded.
- IntersectionObserver: Observes when the icons are about to enter the viewport. If the icon is intersecting (i.e., entering the viewport), it sets the class attribute to the value of data-icon-class and removes the lazy-load class. This triggers the icon to load.
Cache Rules Everything Around Me
OK, we’ve got an old-timey example here. Of course, all the kids these days get their information from the Googs instead of riding the bus to the library. But think of browser caching like having a personal library at home. Once you have the books you need, there’s no point in going back to the public library. Likewise, browser caching gives your web browser a great memory.
Here’s how it works and why it’s fantastic for optimizing your icons:
- First visit: When a user first visits your site, their browser downloads the icons, just like borrowing books from the library.
- Subsequent visits: The browser stores these icons in its “personal library” (cache).
- Future loads: Instead of fetching the icons again, the browser retrieves them from its personal library, ensuring faster and more efficient loading.
Benefits for optimizing your icons:
- Faster load times: Icons appear almost instantly on repeat visits
- Reduced server load: Fewer requests to your server mean less strain
- Bandwidth savings: Less data transferred, great for mobile users
- Smoother user experience: Pages feel snappier and more responsive
1. HTTP Headers (Server Configuration)
One of the easiest ways to cache your icons is by setting up cache headers on your web server. Think of it as giving your users’ browsers a gentle reminder to keep those icons handy for next time. This method is straightforward and works well for most scenarios.
Perfect for a quick and effective setup! It’s the easiest way to make sure your icons are cached and ready for action.
2. Service Worker (JavaScript)
If you’re looking for more control, a Service Worker is like having a personal assistant for your icons. This background script lets you manage caching with precision, ensuring your icons are ready to go, even offline. It’s a modern, powerful approach that gives you flexibility and speed.
Ideal if you want advanced control over caching and the ability to offer offline access. It’s like giving your site a modern upgrade.
3. HTML5 Application Cache (Deprecated)
This method is like an old gadget — once innovative, but now outdated and better left on the shelf. While it was used to cache files for offline use, it’s deprecated and not recommended anymore. Stick to the other options for a future-proof setup.
The Great Icon Squeeze
It may be time for those bloated icons to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser and get on a diet! Icon compression is all about squeezing out those extra bytes.
Here’s the basics of how you can optimize your icons:
What they do:
- Shrink file sizes without noticeably affecting quality
- Remove unused data and optimize code
- Streamline icon files for faster loading
Benefits of compressing and optimizing your icons:
- Faster load times: Smaller files zip to browsers quicker
- Reduced bandwidth usage: Great for mobile users and your hosting bill
- Improved overall site performance: Leaner icons mean a speedier site
Some popular icon compression tools to check out:
- SVGO: The go-to gym for SVG icons
- ImageOptim: A multiformat image diet expert
- TinyPNG: Despite the name, it works wonders on PNGs and JPEGs
- Squoosh: Google’s own image fitness coach
- FontForge: For those font based icons needing a trim
Compress those icons and they’ll come back leaner, meaner, and ready to load at lightning speed. Your users get the same great icon experience, just without the wait.
CSS Sprites: Like Stuffing Your Icons into a Carpool Van
Using CSS sprites is like organizing a carpool for your icons – they all arrive together, saving time and energy. Here’s the lowdown:
What they are:
- A technique that combines multiple icons into a single image file
- Uses CSS to display specific parts of the combined image as needed
How they work:
- Merge icons: Combine multiple icons into one larger image
- Use CSS: Position the larger image to show only the desired icon
- Repeat: Adjust positioning for each icon as needed
Benefits of using CSS sprites to optimize your icons:
- Fewer HTTP requests: One big file instead of many small ones
- Faster load times: Less server chatter means quicker page loads
- Reduced bandwidth: Downloading one file is often more efficient
If CSS sprites are the OG way to pack your icons efficiently, SVG sprites are the new standard. Especially if you’re using Font Awesome. They’re lighter, faster, and easier to customize, with all the same benefits (and none of the pixelated downsides).
Popular tools for creating sprites include …
- Sprite Cow
- CSS Sprite Generator
- Spritebox and …
- Compass (for Sass users).
Font Awesome makes using CSS sprites straightforward, so you can easily put this classic optimization technique to good use.
HTTP/2 & HTTP/3: The Sequels That Actually Deliver
Unlike most movie sequels (no shade to Teen Wolf Too (It’s OK Jason Bateman, we know you did your best), HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 are the rare follow-ups that actually improve on the original. HTTP/2 took the creaky, single-file delivery system of HTTP/1.1 and said, “Hmm, what if we could get the web to multitask?” Then HTTP/3 showed up later with a souped up engine, running on QUIC — a transport protocol that’s like trading in the old family minivan with the squealy fanbelt for a rocket-powered hovercraft.
What They Are:
HTTP/2
- Multiplexing: Sends multiple requests at the same time over one connection.
- Header Compression: Shrinks metadata for speed.
- Server Push: Sends resources before the browser even asks.
- Binary Format: Compact and tidy with fewer hiccups than the old text-based method.
HTTP/3
- QUIC Transport: Swaps out TCP for UDP, and cuts down connection setup time.
- Better Recovery: Keeps things moving when packets get lost (because spotty Wi-Fi happens).
- Always Secure: Encryption is baked in from the start, not tacked on later.
Benefits of Optimizing Your Icons
- Faster Page Loads: Multiple elements load at once, so your icons show up super duper quick.
- Reduced Latency: Fewer round trips between the browser and server.
- Better Use of Network Resources: Tighter data transfer keeps everything responsive.
- Stronger Mobile Performance: Especially clutch when you’re sitting in the back of an Uber with one bar of signal.
It’s like giving your website a FastPass at an amusement park, skipping lines and getting to the fun stuff quicker.
1. Use a hosting provider that supports HTTP/2
Check if your hosting provider already has HTTP/2 enabled. Many modern hosts do, so you might just need to ensure your site is using HTTPS. Easy peasy.
2. Enable HTTP/2 in your server settings
If you’re running your own server, you can usually enable HTTP/2 in your server’s settings. Just update a few configurations, and you’re on your way to faster load times.
3. Use a content delivery network (CDN)
CDNs are like the fast lane for your content, and many of them support HTTP/2 right out of the box. Serve your site through a CDN, and you’ll likely get HTTP/2 benefits with zero hassle.
4. Consult with your developer or hosting support
If you’re not into tweaking server settings yourself, no worries! Your developer or hosting support can help you check if HTTP/2 is ready to roll and guide you through the upgrade.
Making the leap to HTTP/2 is like getting an upgrade to first class — your site’s performance will thank you.
Subsetting with Font Awesome: Because Sometimes Less Really Is More
And last but not least, Font Awesome’s Subsetting feature.
A Font Awesome subset is a streamlined package that delivers all the functionality and ease of use of the full Font Awesome toolkit but includes only the icons you need. It’s almost like creating a custom greatest hits playlist for your project.
Given the gargantuan library of icons Font Awesome offers — which is constantly growing — it’s unlikely you’re using every single icon in your project. By trimming down to just the ones you’re actively using, you can optimize your icons and improve your website’s performance.
Creating your custom icon set
With Pro Kits, you’ve got all kinds of customizability options at your fingertips. To keep things lean and fast you can…
1. Choose icon styles
Start in the Styles section of your Kit’s Settings tab. Here, you can select which icon styles to include, such as Solid, Regular, Light, or Sharp. We’ll only load the styles you choose, helping to keep your site efficient.
2. Select specific icons
Next, use the Custom Subsetting option. Navigate to your Kit’s Icons tab and choose the specific icons you want to include. This allows you to fine-tune your icon selection to perfectly match your needs.
3. Host the icons yourself (or let us do the lifting)
After creating your optimized icon set, you have two hosting choices. We can host your streamlined Kit, or you can download it and host it yourself. You can use either option depending on your preference or technical requirements.
Improving website performance
Custom subsetting with Font Awesome is your ticket to a faster, leaner site. Your users will get a smooth, icon-rich experience without any extra bloat.
By fine-tuning your icon set, you can create a speedy, perfectly balanced mix that keeps your site running at top speed. Start customizing your Font Awesome Kit and watch your site’s performance take off.
And while we’re on the subject of optimization, we’ve got other tips, too, on our docs page including …
- Loading only one version of Font Awesome
- Using the SVG with JavaScript
- Webfont with CSS
- Using bare SVG files
Wrap it Up, We’ll Take It
Optimizing your icons with Font Awesome is easier than you might think. From lazy loading to subsetting, these techniques will optimize your icons and significantly improve load times.
Speed up your site by creating a super-lean, super-fast subset of Font Awesome! Choose just the icons you need then serve them up as a subset on your site or app to make it faster than ever.
