Implementing custom font loading strategies in web design
Introduction
Custom fonts have become an integral part of web design. From simple blogs to complex websites, custom fonts are used to give a unique identity to the online presence. However, there are certain challenges that come with using custom fonts. One of the biggest challenges is the time it takes to load these fonts on a website.
The loading time of a website is critical to user experience. Users do not like to wait for a website to load. Slow loading web pages can lead to a high bounce rate and often drive potential customers away. As a web designer or developer, it is your responsibility to ensure that the website loads quickly.
What are custom fonts?
Custom fonts are specific fonts that are designed to incorporate unique characteristics. These fonts are not the standard fonts provided by web browsers like Arial and Times New Roman. Instead, they are unique, often created by a designer or purchased from a font foundry.
The use of custom fonts in web design has been steadily increasing. A custom font can help communicate branding and create a unique identity for a website. However, these custom fonts add additional HTTP requests to the webpage, which can affect website performance.
Why custom font loading strategies are important
Web design involves finding a balance between aesthetics and website performance. A website that looks great but takes a long time to load is of little value to users. Custom fonts play a vital role in web design, but poorly implemented font loading strategies can cause issues.
Implementing custom font loading strategies can improve website performance. Loading fonts asynchronously, prioritizing fonts, and preloading fonts are some strategies that can help minimize the impact of custom fonts on website performance.
Implementing custom font loading strategies
1. Asynchronously loading fonts
One of the best strategies for reducing the impact of custom fonts on website performance is asynchronous font loading. Asynchronous font loading allows the website to load content while the fonts are being retrieved in the background.
Asynchronous loading is achieved by using the async attribute in the font link. By adding the async attribute to the link, the browser will load the content of the webpage first, and as the fonts become available, it will load them in the background. Asynchronous font loading can significantly reduce the perceived website loading time.
2. Prioritizing fonts
Prioritizing fonts is a strategy that involves loading the most critical fonts first. This strategy is useful for websites that use multiple custom fonts. By prioritizing the most critical fonts, you can reduce the time it takes to load the website's content while allowing other non-critical fonts to load in the background.
To prioritize fonts, you need to use the font-display property in the font link. The font-display property allows you to specify how the browser should display the font while it's loading.
For example, you can use the font-display:swap value to load the content of the webpage first, and as the fonts become available, it will swap in the custom font. This strategy ensures that the content is visible to the user while the fonts are loading.
3. Preloading fonts
Preloading fonts is a strategy that involves loading the fonts in advance before the page is loaded. Preloading fonts can significantly reduce the perceived website loading time as the fonts are already cached in the user's browser before they visit the website.
To preload fonts, you need to use the <link rel="preload"> tag. By using the <link rel="preload"> tag, you can instruct the browser to load the fonts in advance, even if they are not used on the website. It's a great strategy for websites that use multiple custom fonts or are heavy on custom fonts.
Conclusion
Custom fonts play a vital role in web design, but they can also impact website performance. Implementing custom font loading strategies can help improve website performance without compromising on aesthetics. Asynchronous loading, prioritizing fonts, and preloading fonts are some strategies that you can use to optimize your website's performance.
As a web designer or developer, it's your responsibility to ensure that your website loads quickly and provides a great user experience. By implementing custom font loading strategies, you can achieve both and ensure that your website stands out while providing an excellent user experience.