I’ve recently been running some tests on WordPress to determine where potential download bottle necks may lie. I’ve found two add-ons for Firebug, the excellent troubleshooting/development plugin for Firefox:
- YSlow: A tool for Yahoo that analyzes a page’s download time, breaking it down by file type (e.g. HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Images) and points out potential problems.
- Page Speed: A tool that lets you dissect the very act of downloading a page, from the initial request to the server for the page through the download of each component. Perfect for visually identifying where your slow downs may be occurring … in real time.
They’re handy tools to have, and were very helpful in my WordPress analysis.