How to reduce the server response time TTFB?
Improve your website speed by reducing TTFB! Find out what TTFB is, the causes of high response time, and effective optimization techniques.
What is TTFB?
TTFB (Time to First Byte) represents the time interval between the sending of a request by the browser and the receipt of the first response from the server. Although it does not directly influence the scores of Core Web Vitals, it is an essential factor in optimizing website speed.
Common causes for high TTFB:
- Unoptimized cache or lack thereof.
- Slow queries in the database caused by poorly optimized themes or plugins.
- High latency of the internet service provider's network.
- Insufficient resources of the hosting package.
- High number of HTTP requests or scripts running in the background.
How is TTFB measured?
Google Chrome offers a useful diagnostic tool. To access it:
- Go to View > Developer or use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) or Cmd+Opt+I (Mac).
- Access the Network tab and monitor the loading time of the site resources.
How can you reduce TTFB?
Reducing TTFB involves several optimization techniques:
1. Using a CDN
A CDN (Content Delivery Network), such as Cloudflare, stores static content in globally distributed locations, reducing the transfer time from the server to the user.
2. Enabling the cache
The cache generates temporary files that can be used to serve static content faster. Popular plugins for WordPress:
3. Upgrade to PHP 8+
PHP 8+ includes significant speed improvements, such as the use of Zend OPcache. Check out our guide on changing the PHP version for details.
4. Image and Video Optimization
Use tools like ImageOptim or Shortpixel for compressing media files and improving loading times.
5. Minimizing CSS and JavaScript Files
Compressing CSS and JS files can be done with plugins like WP Minify or Autoptimize.