Do you always seem to run into problems with search queries, sites that load way too slowly, and performance that’s generally lacking? If so, there’s plenty you can do to optimize database performance without hiring a team of experts or spending 12 straight confined to the office.
Make SQL Queries Faster
What are the most effective do’s and don’ts in this category: Avoid using query wildcards by always specifically stating the column names you desire. MySQL is usually unable to make use of indexes when the query includes an asterisk. Speaking of indexes, remember to build them for every column in clauses for “group by,” “order by,” and “where.” Most users will discover that this is actually a simple task if they approach it through their web-based interface.
When in doubt, try the command “EXPLAIN” and MySQL will demonstrate the value of indexing. A big plus with MySQL is its ability to support diverse kinds of data, like text, float and others. The rule of thumb is to use fewer than 100 columns when creating tables or you’ll just be building lethargy into the database response time.
Image Files Can Cause Traffic Jams
Always strive to keep image files as small as possible. One way to achieve this goal simply: do all image cropping before uploading. Otherwise, you’ll be forcing visitors to waste time on downloads that are automatically discarded. When you crop images after uploading them to your site, users will eventually see the smaller image, but not until they are forced to download every single pixel of the original, larger one.
Hunt for Bottlenecks
Here’s where a bit of investigative skill comes in handy. Use every developer tool at your disposal and track down bottlenecks within your site. Remember to inspect after right-clicking in order to see the tools you’ll need to ferret out long load times for particular scripts and images that are hanging things up. If you want to see the specific load time for any given element, use the Network tab. At once, you’ll see how long CSS, images and various scripts are taking to load.
Avoid Server Overload
Take advantage of any monitoring tools you have to make sure the server isn’t bogged down. There are dozens of tools you can get to automate this essential chore. The main thing is to remember to do it yourself if it’s not currently on auto mode. What if your server monitor routinely shows a usage level or 75-85 percent or higher? Think about an upgrade because whatever level of RAM and virtual CPU power you currently have is not getting the job done.
A Java Trick That Works
If you are okay with letting pages load before the script runs, simply alter the script tag to include “defer.” This quick fix does two things. It not only improves the user experience but also ramps up the speed of page loading. Script problems are often easy to resolve and can result is a significant improvement all around.
