Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is a crucial metric in web performance measurement that focuses on user interactions and the time it takes for the next visible change to occur on the screen. It plays a significant role in determining the perceived speed and responsiveness of a website or web application. In this article, we’ll explore what INP is, why it matters, and how you can improve it to enhance the overall user experience.
What is Interaction to Next Paint (INP)?
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is a performance metric that measures the time it takes for a user interaction, such as clicking a button or scrolling, to result in a visible change on the screen. It is part of the larger set of Core Web Vitals, a group of metrics designed to help developers and website owners understand and improve the user experience of their sites.
INP is closely related to other web performance metrics, such as First Input Delay (FID) and Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). FID measures the time it takes for a page to respond to a user interaction, while LCP measures the time it takes for the largest element on the screen to become visible. INP builds on these metrics by focusing specifically on the time between a user interaction and the next paint, providing valuable insights into the responsiveness of a website or web application.
Why Does INP Matter?
INP is an important metric because it directly impacts the perceived speed and responsiveness of a website. When users interact with a site, they expect to see immediate feedback to their actions. A high INP can lead to a sluggish and unresponsive feel, which can frustrate users and lead to a poor user experience.
Also, INP is a key factor in Google’s Page Experience update, which considers user experience signals as ranking factors in search results. Websites with a low INP are more likely to rank higher in search results, making it essential for website owners and developers to optimize this metric to improve their site’s visibility and performance.
How to Improve INP
There are several strategies you can use to improve Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and enhance the overall user experience of your website or web application:
- Optimize JavaScript: JavaScript is often the main culprit behind high INP times. Minimize and defer non-essential JavaScript to reduce the impact on performance.
- Prioritize Critical Rendering Path: Ensure that critical resources, such as CSS and JavaScript, are loaded quickly to minimize the time to first paint and improve responsiveness.
- Use Lazy Loading: Lazy loading images and other resources can help reduce the initial page load time and improve the overall performance of your site.
- Minimize Render-Blocking Resources: Identify and minimize render-blocking resources, such as CSS and JavaScript, to improve the responsiveness of your site.
- Implement Server-Side Rendering: Server-side rendering can improve the time to first paint and reduce the overall load time of your site, leading to a better user experience.
- Optimize Images: Compress and optimize images to reduce their file size and improve load times, leading to a faster and more responsive site.
By implementing these strategies, you can improve Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and enhance the overall user experience of your website or web application.