Faster page load times with link prefetching

The article explores the significance of faster load times on conversion rates and presents link prefetching as a technique to enhance page navigation speed by fetching links in advance. It discusses the browser's built-in method for prefetching using the `<link rel="prefetch">` tag, which stores links in cache during idle times, and then delves into three libraries—InstantClick, quicklink, and Guess.js—that offer different approaches to prefetching. InstantClick prefetches links upon hover or touchstart, quicklink uses a viewport and network condition-based method, and Guess.js employs a data-driven approach using analytics to predict user navigation paths. The article evaluates the pros and cons of each library, noting that InstantClick is not actively maintained, quicklink is lightweight and maintained by the Google Chrome team, and Guess.js requires more setup but leverages real-world data for larger applications. Ultimately, the choice of library depends on the specific needs of a project, with each offering improvements in navigation speed and user experience.