Shrikant Portfolio

Category: Performance optimization

  • WebAssembly 2025: Boost Web App Speed & UX

    Web apps have come a long way. Today, people expect blazing speed and smooth interactions every time they open a website. That’s where WebAssembly (Wasm) is making a real difference. It’s not some niche experiment anymore. In 2025, Wasm is becoming a must-have for developers building modern, high-performance web apps.

    Let’s look at what Wasm really is, why it’s trending, and how it’s helping build faster and smarter front-ends.

    So, What is WebAssembly?

    WebAssembly, or Wasm for short, is a low-level code format that runs inside browsers almost as fast as native machine code. It lets you write code in languages like C++, Rust, or Go, convert it to Wasm, and run it smoothly on the web.

    Here’s why it stands out:

    • You can use languages beyond JavaScript
    • Works in all modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
    • Runs in a safe, sandboxed space
    • Portable across platforms and devices

    Want the full technical breakdown? Check out MDN’s WebAssembly docs.

    Why Everyone’s Talking About WebAssembly in July 2025

    More people are searching for WebAssembly than ever, and for good reason. Let’s break down the hype.

    1. It’s Super Fast

    Wasm is way faster than JavaScript, especially when it comes to heavy tasks like:

    • Video and image editing
    • Audio effects and real-time rendering
    • Game physics and simulations
    • Crypto operations

    This kind of performance makes it possible to build web apps that feel like desktop software.

    > Real-world example: Figma, Photoshop Web, and AutoCAD all use Wasm to deliver a fast in-browser experience.

    2. Smaller File Sizes

    Wasm files are lean. When speed metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Time to Interactive (TTI) matter for Google rankings, even a few milliseconds saved is a win.

    Example: A Rust-based image editor using WebAssembly loads in under 1.5 seconds, while a similar JS version takes 5+ seconds. That’s a 70% improvement in LCP.

    3. You Can Build Heavier Apps in the Browser

    Wasm unlocks entire categories of applications that were tough to run on the web before:

    • Use Case What You Can Do
    • Games Run Unity or Unreal games directly in browser
    • CAD/3D Modeling View and edit 3D models live
    • Machine Learning Run ML models on-device with TensorFlow Lite
    • Audio/Video Tools Real-time editing in the browser
    • PDF Tools Speedy parsing, compressing, rendering

    4. It’s Secure by Design

    Wasm runs in a sandbox. It doesn’t get direct access to the DOM, and that limits how much harm any bad code can do. That makes it great for:

    • Running encryption tasks
    • Validating tokens
    • Safely handling files in-browser

    Because it can’t directly touch the page layout, you still need JavaScript for the UI bits.

    How Developers Are Using Wasm Today

    In 2025, devs are getting creative with WebAssembly:

    • Startups are swapping big JS libraries for smaller, faster Wasm modules
    • Agencies are creating interactive client dashboards with Unity + Wasm
    • Enterprises are moving some heavy logic to the browser to reduce backend load

    Some tools to explore:

    • wasm-pack (Rust)
    • AssemblyScript
    • Emscripten (C/C++)
    • Blazor WebAssembly (C#)

    Things to Keep in Mind

    WebAssembly is powerful, but it’s not magic. Here’s what you need to consider:

    • Can’t access the DOM directly, still need JavaScript for that
    • You’ll need to know system languages like Rust or C++
    • If not optimized, Wasm binaries can delay the first page load (streaming + caching helps)

    Best approach? Use JavaScript for UI and Wasm for the heavy lifting.

    Final Thoughts

    WebAssembly isn’t just cool tech, it’s shaping the future of how we build for the web. If your app needs real-time interaction, complex logic, or just a serious performance upgrade, Wasm is the way forward.

    It’s not about replacing JavaScript, but about using the right tool for the right job. With Wasm and JS working together, the possibilities for fast, modern web experiences are huge.

    Keep an eye on this space, it’s only going to get more exciting.

  • Vibe Coding & AI-Powered Web Development: The Future is Already Here

    I’ve been watching the web development landscape shift dramatically over the past year, and honestly, it’s been fascinating to witness. We’re not just talking about another framework or library drop. We’re experiencing a fundamental change in how we actually build things. The rise of AI-powered development, particularly what many of us are calling “vibe coding,” has moved from experimental curiosity to daily reality faster than I expected.

    If you’ve been skeptical about AI in development (and I get it, I was too), it’s time to take a closer look. This isn’t about replacing developers; it’s about amplifying what we can accomplish.

    What Exactly is “Vibe Coding”?

    The term itself sounds a bit informal, but that’s exactly the point. Vibe coding represents this new way of building applications where you describe what you want in plain English, then iterate and refine through conversation with AI tools. It’s like having a really smart pair programming partner who never gets tired and has read every Stack Overflow answer ever posted.

    I’ve been experimenting with tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT’s code interpreter, and Claude for various projects. The experience feels less like traditional coding and more like architectural planning where you sketch out ideas, then watch them take shape. The AI understands context, adapts to your coding style, and can even catch logical inconsistencies before you do.

    Cursor has been particularly interesting. It’s like having an IDE that actually understands what you’re trying to build. Instead of just syntax highlighting and autocomplete, it’s suggesting entire implementation approaches and catching potential issues in real time.

    Why This Matters More Than You Think

    The Prototyping Revolution

    Remember when building an MVP meant weeks of boilerplate code, configuration files, and basic CRUD operations? I recently built a complete admin dashboard prototype in about three hours using AI assistance. The time savings aren’t just incremental; they’re transformative.

    What used to take days now happens in hours. This isn’t just about speed. It’s about being able to test ideas quickly, fail fast, and iterate on concepts while they’re still fresh. For client work, this means being able to show functional prototypes during initial meetings instead of just wireframes.

    Focusing on What Actually Matters

    Here’s what I’ve noticed in my own workflow: AI handles the repetitive, structural work incredibly well. Form validations, API wrappers, basic authentication flows. These aren’t creative challenges anymore.They’re solved problems that AI can implement while I focus on user experience, performance optimization, and the unique business logic that actually differentiates the project.

    The mental shift is significant. Instead of spending cognitive energy on boilerplate, I’m spending it on architecture decisions, user flows, and creative problem-solving.

    The “Agentic Web” Concept

    Microsoft introduced this term at Build 2025, and it’s stuck with me. The idea is that we’re moving toward websites and applications that are increasingly built by AI agents working alongside developers. We’re becoming orchestrators of development workflows rather than line-by-line code writers.

    This progression from human-written to AI-augmented to AI-initiated development represents a fundamental shift in our role. We’re becoming creative directors and system architects rather than just implementers.

    The Reality Check: It’s Not All Magic

    Let’s be honest about the limitations because they’re real and important. AI-generated code can be insecure, inefficient, or just plain wrong if you don’t review it carefully. I’ve caught several instances where the AI suggested patterns that worked but weren’t optimal for the specific use case.

    The bigger challenge is maintaining code quality and understanding. When junior developers rely too heavily on AI-generated code without understanding the underlying concepts, it creates knowledge gaps that can be problematic down the line. I’ve started treating AI as a very sophisticated autocomplete and research assistant rather than a replacement for understanding.

    There are also ethical considerations around licensing and code attribution that the industry is still working through. The safe approach is to treat AI as a starting point that requires human judgment and review.

    Real-World Impact

    In my own practice, I’ve seen the effects across different types of projects. Landing pages that used to take a full day now take a few hours. Client demos can be functional instead of just mockups. Administrative interfaces get built alongside the main application rather than being afterthoughts.

    The agency model is particularly interesting. Teams are delivering more comprehensive solutions faster, which means either higher margins or more competitive pricing. The competitive advantage is shifting toward creative problem-solving and client relationship management rather than pure implementation speed.

    Looking Forward

    The trajectory is clear: AI tools are becoming more sophisticated, more integrated into our workflows, and more essential to competitive development practices. The developers who embrace these tools thoughtfully, understanding both their power and limitations, are positioning themselves well for the next phase of web development.

    This isn’t about being replaced by AI. It’s about leveraging AI to do better, more creative work. The future belongs to developers who can effectively collaborate with AI tools while maintaining their critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

    If you haven’t started experimenting with AI-powered development tools yet, now’s the time. Start small, stay critical, and see how they might fit into your workflow. The learning curve is surprisingly gentle, and the productivity gains are substantial.

  • Master Responsive Design in 2025 with CSS Subgrid & Fluid Containers

    Introduction: Rethinking Responsive Design in 2025

    Responsive web design has come a long way since the early days of media queries. As screen sizes and device types multiply, the need for adaptable, efficient, and scalable design techniques has never been greater. In 2025, the focus is shifting from breakpoints and fixed layouts to more fluid, intelligent systems powered by CSS Subgrid, fluid containers, and container queries.

    These modern CSS capabilities allow web designers and developers to craft layouts that are not just responsive but precisely tailored to their environment. The result is sleeker interfaces, better performance, and a superior user experience on every device.

    In this post, we’ll dive into the core concepts and advantages of these cutting-edge tools and show you how to incorporate them into your next project.

    What Are Fluid Containers?

    Fluid containers are layout elements that scale naturally with the viewport or their parent container, avoiding hard-coded widths. They use percentages, max-width, min-width, and modern CSS functions like clamp() to create adaptive, flexible layouts.

    Key Features:

    • Viewport-relative sizing using vw, vh, or %

    • Clamp-based typography for smooth font scaling

    • Container-aware layout logic, eliminating rigid breakpoints

    Example:

    css
    .container {
    width: min(100%, 1200px);
    padding: clamp(1rem, 2vw, 3rem);
    }

    With this setup, the container maintains readability across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices without needing to redefine paddings or widths for each breakpoint.

    Understanding CSS Subgrid

    CSS Subgrid is a powerful enhancement to the CSS Grid Layout. While CSS Grid allows for defining layouts across a parent container, Subgrid enables a nested grid item to inherit and align precisely with the parent grid structure.

    This solves long-standing layout issues where nested elements had to be manually adjusted to match the parent grid, often requiring complex calculations or extra wrappers.

    Why Subgrid Matters:

    • Ensures perfect alignment between parent and child components

    • Great for card layouts, dashboards, or any nested UIs

    • Simplifies code and reduces duplication

    Example:

    css
    .parent {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr;
    }    .child {
    display: subgrid;
    grid-column: span 2;
    }

    Browser Support Note: Subgrid is now supported in Firefox and Chromium-based browsers. Use Can I Use to check real-time support.

    Benefits of Container Queries

    Container queries allow styles to be applied based on the size of a container, not the viewport. This makes components truly modular and responsive within any layout context.

    Before container queries, designers had to rely on media queries tied to the window width. This often led to bloated stylesheets and unpredictable behavior in nested components.

    Why Container Queries Are a Game-Changer:

    • Achieve component-level responsiveness

    • Reduce dependency on global breakpoints

    • Enhance reusability and design consistency

    Example:

    css
    @container (min-width: 500px) {
    .card {
    grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr;
    }
    }

    This allows a .card component to behave differently depending on its container’s width, not the entire screen.

    Implementation Tips for 2025

    Here are some best practices to implement these responsive design techniques effectively:

    1. Start mobile-first, then progressively enhance with fluid containers and subgrid.

    2. Use the clamp() function for typography and spacing to ensure smooth scaling:

      css
      font-size: clamp(1rem, 2vw, 1.5rem);

    3. Use logical properties (inline-size, block-size) to make layouts direction-aware.

    4. Combine container queries with utility classes or component libraries like Open Props for scalable design systems.

    5. Validate browser support using tools like:

    Future Trends in Responsive Design

    The responsive web of 2025 is context-aware, component-driven, and performance-optimized. As design systems grow and UIs become more dynamic, expect to see:

    • Wider adoption of container queries in all major frameworks (React, Vue, Angular)

    • Subgrid becoming the standard for nested layouts

    • Increased tooling support in platforms like Figma, Webflow, and Tailwind CSS for fluid design logic

    • Accessibility-first layout strategies, driven by WCAG 2.2+ standards

    These trends are setting the stage for a future where responsiveness is embedded by design.

    Conclusion: Elevate Your Responsive Design Game

    Responsive design is no longer just about making things fit. It is about crafting context-aware, scalable, and fluid user experiences. Embracing CSS Subgrid, container queries, and fluid containers can help you achieve truly adaptive design systems that are future-proof and developer-friendly.

    Now is the time to update your CSS toolbox and stay ahead of the curve.

  • Introduction to Progressive Web Apps: Offline and Beyond

    Introduction
    Imagine your web app feeling as smooth and reliable as a native mobile app, even when users are offline. That’s the magic of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). PWAs combine the best of web and mobile: fast load times, offline support, and home-screen installs without going through an app store. Let’s see how you can turn your next project into a PWA.

    1. Core PWA Features

    • Service Workers: These scripts run in the background, intercept network requests, and cache assets so your app loads instantly, even offline.

    • Web App Manifest: A simple JSON file that lets you specify your app’s name, icon, and how it should launch (for example, full-screen).

    • HTTPS Requirement: Security is mandatory for service workers; PWAs only work over HTTPS to protect user data.

    2. Getting Started

    1. Create your manifest (manifest.json):

      {
      "name": "My PWA App",
      "short_name": "PWA",
      "start_url": "/index.html",
      "icons": [
      {
      "src": "/icon-192.png",
      "sizes": "192x192",
      "type": "image/png"
      }
      ],
      "display": "standalone",
      "background_color": "#ffffff"
      }

    2. Register a Service Worker (sw.js):

      if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
      navigator.serviceWorker.register('/sw.js')
      .then(() => console.log('Service Worker registered'));
      }

    3. Cache assets in sw.js so your app works offline:

      self.addEventListener('install', event => {
      event.waitUntil(
      caches.open('v1').then(cache =>
      cache.addAll(['/index.html', '/styles.css', '/app.js'])
      )
      );
      });

    3. Why PWAs Matter

    • Better Performance: Asset caching means near-instant load times.

    • Increased Engagement: Home-screen install prompts bring users back.

    • Broad Reach: PWAs work on any device with a modern browser and do not require an app store review.

    Conclusion
    PWAs can dramatically improve user experience with relatively little effort. By adding a manifest and service worker to your existing site, you’ll unlock offline capabilities, faster load times, and app-like engagement. Give it a try on your next project!

  • WebAssembly Basics: Making Web Apps Faster and Smoother

    Imagine a Faster Web

    Wouldn’t it be cool if web apps ran as smoothly as the apps on your phone or PC? That’s exactly the kind of experience WebAssembly brings to the table. Known as Wasm, it lets our browsers run code almost as fast as native software. In this post, I’ll break down what it is, how it works, and why it’s such a game changer for devs like us.

    What Is WebAssembly?

    Alright, let’s keep it simple. WebAssembly is a new way to run code in the browser. Usually, we build our frontend using JavaScript, which is great for most things. But once we need to do something heavy like image processing or advanced logic, JavaScript can feel a bit slow.

    That’s where WebAssembly comes in. You can write code in languages like C, C++ or Rust, and then compile it into a .wasm file. This file runs really fast inside the browser. It doesn’t replace JavaScript, though. It works alongside it. So you use JS where it fits, and use Wasm when performance matters.

    Think of it like giving your browser a high-performance turbo mode.

    Why WebAssembly Is Worth Learning

    Let’s be honest. We’ve all used web tools that felt sluggish. Maybe a photo editor that couldn’t keep up, or an online game that lagged too much. WebAssembly fixes that. It makes these kinds of apps way more responsive.

    Here’s what makes it powerful:

    • Speed: Runs code almost as fast as native apps. Great for stuff like graphics, simulations or crunching numbers.
    • Language Flexibility: You’re not tied to JavaScript. Use languages that are better suited for performance-heavy tasks.
    • Better UX: Faster apps mean happier users. That’s always a win.

    Basically, WebAssembly gives us the power to build fast, powerful apps right inside the browser without needing to build desktop software.

    How to Get Started with WebAssembly

    It might look complicated at first, but it’s not that bad once you try it. Here’s the usual flow:

    1. Write your code in C or Rust.
    2. Use something like Emscripten to compile it into a .wasm file.
    3. Load that file into your web project using JavaScript.

    Here’s a basic command to compile a C file:

    emcc file.c -s WASM=1 -o file.html

    And here’s a simple JS snippet to load the WebAssembly module:

    fetch('module.wasm')
  .then(response => response.arrayBuffer())
  .then(bytes => WebAssembly.instantiate(bytes))
  .then(results => {
    results.instance.exports.myFunction();
  });

    Just like that, you’ve got native-level performance baked into your frontend.

    Wrapping It Up

    WebAssembly is a solid step forward in how we build on the web. Whether it’s games, complex tools or anything that needs raw speed, Wasm lets you stay in the browser while giving your users a much better experience.

    You’re not replacing JavaScript. You’re giving it a power-up.

    If you haven’t tried WebAssembly yet, now’s a great time to start experimenting. Even if you don’t use it everywhere, just knowing how and where to plug it in can seriously level up your projects.

  • Why Web Performance Matters and How You Can Make Your Site Faster

    Ever clicked away from a site just because it took forever to load? Yeah, me too. And we’re not alone—research shows that if your site doesn’t load within 3 seconds, most visitors bounce. As developers, this should be a wake-up call. Speed isn’t just a nice-to-have, it directly impacts how users experience your site, how Google ranks you, and how well your site converts.

    So let’s look at why performance actually matters, and how you can start making things faster without losing sleep.

    Why Web Performance Should Be a Priority

    In today’s world, nobody has the patience for a laggy website. Whether you’re shopping, reading, or checking out someone’s portfolio, a slow site is a huge turn-off. It kills the vibe.

    What’s worse? Google doesn’t like it either. Page speed is a ranking factor now. So if your site’s dragging, you’re not just frustrating users—you’re probably slipping in search results too.

    In short: performance = user experience = better results. Simple.

    Quick and Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Site

    Making your site faster doesn’t always mean diving deep into hardcore optimization. These are easy wins you can start with right now:

    – Optimize Your Images

    Images are often the biggest culprit behind a slow-loading site. Use compressed formats like WebP or AVIF. And don’t skip lazy loading—it delays image loading until the image is actually visible on the screen. That way, you’re not loading everything at once.

    <img src="image.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Optimized Image">

    – Minify Your CSS and JavaScript

    No one likes bloated code. Minifying removes extra spaces, comments, and junk that browsers don’t need. The result? Smaller files and faster loads.

    npm install -g minify
minify yourscript.js

    There are also plugins for most CMS platforms if you’re not working with raw code.

    Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

    CDNs store your content across multiple servers worldwide. So when someone visits your site, they get data from the server closest to them. It’s faster. It’s more efficient. It just makes sense—especially if you’ve got a global audience.

    Reduce HTTP Requests

    Every little thing on your site—scripts, styles, images—needs a separate request. The more you have, the more your browser has to juggle. Try combining CSS and JS files, using fewer custom fonts, or limiting unnecessary animations.

    Think of it like cleaning up your desk. Fewer items = faster access = smoother workflow.

    Wrap-Up: It’s All About Experience

    Speed isn’t just about performance scores. It’s about giving people a better experience. A snappy, responsive site keeps users around longer, boosts conversions, and helps your SEO.

    Start small—optimize a few images, minify your scripts, and look into a CDN. These little tweaks stack up, and before you know it, your site feels smoother, faster, and way more professional.

    Trust me, once you feel the difference, there’s no going back.