Providing consumers with a functional and reliable app can help a business expand its reach. Whether your app is mobile or web-based, there are certain things you have to do to make it a success. One of the main things you need to focus on is keeping your app responsive and fast.
A number of studies have shown there is a direct correlation between slow load speeds and the inability to make an app successful. Instead of allowing your app to slowly fade into obscurity, you need to find and fix the issues causing slow load speeds.
The following are some of the things you need to consider when trying to optimize and reduce app load time.
Finding and Fixing Flawed SDKs and Libraries
Building an app from scratch is both time-consuming and complicated. Modern app developers use software development kits and open-source libraries to make their programs. While this can speed up developing an app considerably, it can also present problems that may cost more to fix down the road.
The code in some third-party libraries may feature flaws and bugs. It is your job as a developer to check this code and fix any issues you may find. If you don’t do this before the app is launched, it can impact usability significantly.
Even though you can discover these issues over time with error logs, it is best to get them ironed out before launch. If you don’t have the time to monitor your error logs, you should use (LAAS, Logging as a Service) – It is SaaS logging service by Papertrail. This tool makes short work of error logs ensuring your app is functioning properly.
Using a Proxy Server Can Be Beneficial
Some app developers forget all about their servers when trying to diagnose slow loading issues. While people have your app up and running, your servers will do things like accessing files from the disk, handling commands from the user, and running the code for the application. Sometimes, this can overwhelm and overload the server causing the app to slow down, crash, or stop working altogether.
Having a successful app requires you to address slow loading issues quickly. Therefore, you need to use a proxy server if you feel your existing servers can’t handle the workload. With these servers, you can offload some tasks left up to your server. Since these servers are connected directly to the Internet, they can handle internal traffic. The money invested in reverse proxy servers will be worth it considering the increase in usability and speed they provide.
Avoid Using Outdated Software
For most developers, using various third-party software programs and frameworks is something they do with little thought. Over time, these programs will get updated, which means you need to stay “in the know” about these updates to avoid problems. Often, companies will release these updates to fix functionality or security issues, so remaining aware of when they are available is crucial.
The best way to avoid problems with outdated app framework software is by checking with the manufacturer regularly. Not only can outdated software cause your app to become less secure, but it can also lead to significant slowdowns.
Remove Unnecessary Data From Your App
The more data your app has, the slower it is going to run. Therefore, you need to work on minimizing the amount of data you have when attempting to keep your app performing at the highest levels.
One of the best ways to deal with this problem is by routinely compressing the data your app has. Everything from video content to rich graphics will need to be compressed to reduce the strain on your app’s server. Making a habit of compressing your app’s data can offer significant increases in speed.
Optimize Encrypted Connections
Protecting the sensitive data processed through your app is important. If your app gets a reputation for being unsafe, it is only a matter of time before consumers stop using it. While having SSL/TLS connections to encrypt data is important, you need to make sure these connections are optimized. Leaving them unoptimized will lead to your app slowing down significantly.
Each time a new connection is opened, a handshake is required which can affect app speed. Also, encrypting and decrypting data can be a drain on your app’s resources. The best way to optimize encrypted connections is by using HTTP/2 or SPDY.
With these tools in place, you can reduce connection overhead by only requiring one handshake per client session. Other ways to solve encrypted connection speed issues is by using session caching or OpenSSL.
The Problem With Chatty Conversations
As you develop the framework of your app, you need to consider a variety of different variables to ensure that what you have in place is sufficient. If a user of your app makes several requests in a short time, it can cause the app to freeze up or slow down.
Preparing for problems with chatty server conversations is essential when trying to keep your app lightning fast. Creating a virtual version of a particular resource or device is a great way to solve this issue. Once this virtualization has taken place, be sure to check how your servers have been configured.
If the server image is being automatically migrated to a host, you need to make sure these images are not being shifted to another server that is further away. Pinpointing virtualization issues is easy if you study the delays between each user request. If these delays are getting longer and longer, chances are your servers need to be configured.
Don’t Set and Forget Your App
Some entrepreneurs and business owners think an app is something they can build and forget. The reality is that an app will need constant maintenance to stay functional. If you simply don’t have the time or experience to handle these needs, hiring a third-party to help you out is a good idea.
Not only can a third-party help you reduce speed-related app issues, but they can also implement state-of-the-art security solutions as well. Keeping your app fast and secure will help you provide a great user experience, which in turn will make your app more successful.
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