How to test & reduce Time to First Byte (TTFB)

Time to First Byte (TTFB) is a critical metric for evaluating website performance, measuring the time elapsed from when a browser initiates a navigation to when the server sends the first byte back. TTFB impacts all subsequent web performance metrics, such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), by setting the clock for when these events can begin. It consists of several phases, including DNS lookup, connection negotiation, and server processing, each contributing to the overall delay. Google's benchmarks classify TTFB as "good" at 800ms or less, "needs improvement" between 800ms and 1,800ms, and "poor" above 1,800ms. Addressing slow TTFB involves identifying which phase is slow and applying targeted optimizations like deploying a Content Delivery Network (CDN), optimizing database queries, reducing redirect chains, and using technologies like HTTP/3 and TLS 1.3. In-memory caching solutions, such as Redis, are recommended for reducing latency by serving frequently accessed data from memory, thus minimizing server processing time. Despite some improvements, a significant portion of websites still struggles with TTFB, especially on mobile, where progress has been sluggish, indicating ongoing opportunities for optimization.

Use this post, company, and trend context to find content marketing opportunities, perform competitive analysis, or address product feature gaps via the Plushcap MCP server or the Plushcap API.