Choosing the Right Image Formats
Modern web development offers several image formats, each with specific use cases. WebP provides excellent compression for photographs, SVG is perfect for icons and simple graphics, and AVIF offers even better compression than WebP. Always implement fallbacks for older browsers and consider using the element for format flexibility.
Compression and Quality Balance
Finding the sweet spot between file size and visual quality is crucial. Use tools like ImageOptim, TinyPNG, or Squoosh for compression. Implement different compression levels for different image types: higher compression for thumbnails, moderate for content images, and minimal for hero images where quality is paramount.
Responsive Images and Lazy Loading
Implement responsive images using srcset and sizes attributes to serve appropriate image sizes for different devices. Combine this with lazy loading to improve initial page load times. Consider using Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) with automatic image optimization for global performance improvements.