Analyze Website Performance and Accessibility Using Developer Tools

Website performance and accessibility are crucial factors that can make or break the user experience. Slow loading times and inaccessible content can drive away visitors, negatively impact search engine rankings, and ultimately lead to loss of revenue. Thankfully, modern web browsers come equipped with powerful developer tools that allow developers and designers to analyze and optimize website performance and accessibility. In this article, we will see into how these tools can be used effectively to enhance both aspects of a website.

Browser developer tools, often referred to as DevTools, are built-in functionalities within web browsers that allow developers to inspect and debug web pages. These tools provide a comprehensive suite of features designed to aid in various aspects of web development, including performance optimization and accessibility auditing.

• Quick and efficient: The developer tools are directly accessible on the browsers, meaning developers can edit websites without alternating windows or tabs. Working in a single window enhances the productivity of the developer.
• Functionality: It helps to enhance a website’s functionality. Developers can debug and know what errors exist on the page, test changes and optimize the respective web pages, monitor network activity and performance, and more.
• UI assisting tools: It features a device mode that allows you to simulate how the website will look and behave on different devices and screen sizes. This is useful for checking the responsiveness and compatibility of the website.

You can use the following features to analyze your website performance and keep a track of all the bugs and errors. Let’s see the individual features to analyze the website performance:

Network Tab:

One of the primary features of browser developer tools for analyzing website performance is the Network tab. This tab displays a detailed timeline of all network requests made by the webpage, including resources such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript files, images, and external APIs. By examining this timeline, developers can identify bottlenecks and optimize resource loading to improve page load times.

Performance Tab:

The Performance tab, available in most modern browsers, provides a detailed overview of the webpage’s loading and rendering process. It records a timeline of events such as DOMContentLoaded and load events, as well as JavaScript activity and rendering performance.

By analyzing this timeline, developers can pinpoint areas where optimization is needed, such as minimizing render-blocking resources or optimizing JavaScript execution.

Audits Tab:

Some browsers offer an Audits tab that allows developers to run automated tests on their website to identify common performance issues. These audits cover various aspects of performance, including JavaScript execution time, CSS and image optimization, and server response times. By addressing the issues highlighted in these audits, developers can significantly improve overall website performance.

Accessibility Inspector:

Many browser developer tools come with an Accessibility Inspector that allows developers to evaluate the accessibility of their web pages. This tool highlights accessibility issues such as missing alternative text for images, insufficient color contrast, and improperly structured HTML. By fixing these issues, developers can ensure that their websites are accessible to users with disabilities.

Lighthouse:

Lighthouse is a powerful auditing tool built into Google Chrome’s developer tools that includes an accessibility audit. It automatically checks for common accessibility issues based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and provides detailed reports on areas for improvement. By running Lighthouse audits regularly, developers can ensure that their websites meet accessibility standards and provide an inclusive user experience.

Keyboard Navigation:

Browser developer tools also allow developers to simulate keyboard navigation, which is essential for testing website accessibility. By navigating through the website using only the keyboard, developers can identify any interactive elements that are not accessible to keyboard users and make the necessary adjustments to ensure full keyboard accessibility.

Browser developer tools are very important tools for analyzing and optimizing website performance and accessibility. By leveraging features such as the Network tab, Performance tab, Accessibility Inspector, and auditing tools like Lighthouse, developers can identify and address issues that may impact user experience. By prioritizing performance and accessibility during the development process, websites can deliver faster loading times and a more inclusive experience for all users.