CityRider49

Should You Base 64 Encode Images?

Sun, 05 Apr 2015 20:03:23 -0400

One trick many web performance junkies know is to Base 64 Encode images. Base 64 encoding allows a binary image to be converted to text using an encoder so that an image can be sent in-line with the HTML or CSS.

By converting a binary image to text and including it in-line with the HTML or CSS the number of calls the browser has to make to the server can be reduced. Less calls means better performance.

For example, let’s say you have 20 icons you want to use on a project and you plan to call them from the style sheet. That would normally mean that the browser would need to make 20 calls to the server for each of those icons. Sure, a far future expiring header could be set so those icons are pulled from the browser cache after the initial download but that first trip would be painful. If they were baked into the CSS via Base 64 encoding then the CSS (with a far future expiring header) would be called once, saving 20 calls. That a huge performance improvement for any website.

Another plus is that by being text, it can be compressed with the rest of the HTML/CSS further improving performance.

All of this sounds great, so why isn’t everybody doing this by default? First, it’s an extra process within the development process that can easily go sideways if it’s not automated. Automating the process isn’t difficult and in a previous post I’ve outlined how to do it with COMPASS/SASS. Again it’s another process within the development process which works contrary to rapid development.

Another point to consider is dynamic optimization. If you use a server plug-in like Google mod_pagespeed that optimizes images by platform, then converting the image to text will bypass that optimization because the image is no longer an image. The same is true if you use a service like Akamai Ion. Also, older browsers don’t always support Base 64 image delivery.

So when should you use it? There are no standard guidelines but a few thoughts are:

Repeatedly used, highly optimized icon images defined in CSS
When the image has to appear on the website
With one page or small websites with limited graphics
When performance is everything (limited bandwidth)

Once you’ve worked with Base 64 encoded images, you’ll quickly learn when they’re the special sauce to improve website experiences and performance.

oatmeal: The first rule of having in-flight internet access is...

Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:30:45 -0400

oatmeal:

The first rule of having in-flight internet access is …

dragoni: LOL

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:29:22 -0400

dragoni:

LOL

pewinternet: Who uses the internet the...

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:28:20 -0400

pewinternet:

Who uses the internet the most? http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Trend-Data-(Adults)/Whos-Online.aspx

the understatement: Pandora Paid Over $1,300 for 1 Million Plays, Not $16.89

Wed, 26 Jun 2013 23:30:47 -0400

the understatement: Pandora Paid Over $1,300 for 1 Million Plays, Not $16.89:

understatementblog:

David Lowery’s “My Song Got Played On Pandora 1 Million Times and All I Got Was $16.89” article has been picked up over and over and over, including by very respectable folks, often without comment.

This has left many readers with two impressions:

Pandora only paid $16.89…

pewinternet: Tablet penetration is officially at 1/3 of the...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:03:22 -0400

pewinternet:

Tablet penetration is officially at 1/3 of the U.S. adult population.

Smartphones: 56%. Tablets: 34%.

#Mobile.

pewinternet: According to our May 2013 survey, 85% of American...

Thu, 30 May 2013 14:23:00 -0400

pewinternet:

According to our May 2013 survey, 85% of American adults use the internet at least occasionally.

Real Extreme Accordion Skills - The performer plays a great...

Mon, 27 May 2013 18:35:00 -0400

Real Extreme Accordion Skills - The performer plays a great rendition of “Presto” from the “Summer” movement of the “Four Seasons” composed by Vivaldi. I honestly have never heard anything but polka - thanks “Weird” Al - on an accordion. He’s pretty awesome.

jQuery: Extreme Accordion Skills

Mon, 27 May 2013 17:43:00 -0400

Ever since Microsoft Outlook used the accordion menus to logically group functions, designers have used the effect for their own designs. If you look around the web you’ll quickly find a small snippet of jQuery code that looks something like:

$(document).ready(function () {
        $('.accordionButton').click(function () {
                $('.accordionButton').removeClass('on');
                $('.accordionContent').slideUp('normal');
                if ($(this).next().is(':hidden') == true) {
                    $(this).addClass('on');
                    $(this).next().slideDown('normal')
                }
            });
        $('.accordionContent').hide()
    });

For the most part it’s pretty functional on its own. Copy, paste and a little CSS later you’re good to go.

However upon closer inspection one will see there is opportunity to optimize the code.

To begin with, the selectors are pretty generic. When the code removes the class “on”, it actually touches every element that matches “accordionButton.” The same is true for “accordionContent” being made to slide up even when it isn’t displayed.

The second item is most noticeable on mobile devices. When the exposed content is hidden with a “slideUp” and the hidden content is exposed with a “slideDown.” When this happens one will see that if the hidden content is below the exposed content, it will actually expand up, like so:

That can be pretty annoying to anyone using this website.

So, let’s quickly clean up both problems. The first thing that needs to be done is to focus the selectors; in short, only touch the items that need to be changed:

$(document).ready(function () {
   $(".accordionContent").hide();
   
   $(".accordionButton").click(function (e) {
       $(".accordionButton.on").removeClass("on");
       $(".accordionContent:not(:hidden)").slideUp({
           speed: 200
       });
       if ($(this).next().is(":hidden") === true) {
           $(this).addClass("on").next().delay(400).slideDown();
       }
   });
})

With a minor adjustment of “.accordionButton.on” and “.accordionContent:not(:hidden)”, the code becomes much more efficient. This reduces unnecessary repaints and reflows of the page.

You’ll also noted that the timings of “slideUp” and “slideDown” have been changed to keep the two effects from stepping on each other. The “slideUp” has been sped up and the “slideDown” has been delayed. For a mobile user, this means that the button they tapped on will be at the top of the frame and they won’t need to scroll back up to it:

Please note you may need to adjust the timing for best results with your content and devices.

You can see a working demo here and download a zip file with both versions of the JavaScript here.To switch between versions of the JavaScript, just change “main.new.js” to “main.js” in the “index.html” file.

Hope this helps and now a special treat: real extreme accordion skills http://youtu.be/EFNNPZsO7-Q!

In the works: iOS Local Notifications in PhoneGap

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:57:00 -0400

It’s been forever since I’ve written but think this will be interesting topic. The current PhoneGap notifications is fine but sometimes you need a little more. Please let me know if you’re interested in this topic.

CNBC: False Rumor of Explosion at White House Causes Stocks to Briefly Plunge; AP Confirms Its Twitter Feed Was Hacked

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:48:53 -0400

CNBC reported on the impact a hacked AP Twitter account had on Wall Street today. It reminds me of the commercial where the girl says “if it’s on the internet it must be true” but when a trusted source is hacked how do we know the information is false?

Seems like it’s time for social media sites like Twitter to up their security for information sources such as the Associated Press.

"Truth: I love being a software developer because I love creating experiences users get excited..."

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:44:47 -0400

“Truth: I love being a software developer because I love creating experiences users get excited about. It’s like writing really great music.”

- Paul Wheeler

"Designing a weather app is also the Zen Garden of the development world."

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:27:12 -0400

“Designing a weather app is also the Zen Garden of the development world.”

- Paul Wheeler

"Designing a weather app is the “I worked at McDonald’s” of the development world."

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:01:00 -0400

“Designing a weather app is the “I worked at McDonald’s” of the development world.”

- ~Paul Wheeler

CNet: Blink-WebKit split endangers some browser features

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:29:01 -0400

Now that Google has forked the Webkit project with Blink, their effort to speed up core feature development, some features are going to disappear from the Webkit engine. Waiting to see what the real fallout will be. Read more at http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57578364-93/blink-webkit-split-endangers-some-browser-features/

Mashable: Audi and T-Mobile Team Up for $15/Month In-Car Wireless Data Service

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:16:43 -0400

Audi and T-Mobile are finally taking a logical approach for providing in car data.

http://mashable.com/2013/04/05/audi-t-mobile/

Software Project Role Grid

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:10:16 -0500

I don’t know who came up with this first but it’s still funny and painfully accurate.

pewinternet: Gadget ownership in the U.S., over time

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:11:02 -0500

pewinternet:

Gadget ownership in the U.S., over time

CNET - 8 things Microsoft is doing wrong

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:25:21 -0500

I don’t agree with all of the points in “8 things Microsoft is doing wrong” but points 2 & 4 speak to me:

2. The muddle of Windows RT

4. The confusion over touch-screen vs. non-touch-screen Windows 8 laptops

I think most users are not clear what the difference between Windows 8 and Windows RT or any of the other Windows Slate/Surface/Touch/Etc. are. What they do know is that Windows RT looks like Windows 8 but it won’t work like it.

The other big issue the user interface for Windows 8/RT invites your to use touch at times, keyboard and mouse at others and the computers are a mixed bag for both. People are not exactly sure how to use either Windows or the hardware it’s on - not good.

If you need a sign like this, you’ve failed usability #ux...

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:10:05 -0500

If you need a sign like this, you’ve failed usability #ux #ui