Prefetchingpreloading

Prefetchingpreloading is a term used to describe the coordinated use of two web performance techniques, prefetching and preloading, to load resources before they are needed. Although distinct in behavior, together they form an approach aimed at reducing latency and improving perceived speed by bringing assets into the browser’s cache ahead of time.

Prefetching signals that resources may be needed in the near future. The browser downloads them with lower priority, typically during idle network time, and may discard them if bandwidth is constrained. Preloading signals that a resource is required immediately for the current page or its imminent render, and the browser treats it with higher priority.

Implementation commonly uses HTML link elements: rel="preload" with an as attribute to indicate the resource type (such as style, script, font, or image), and rel="prefetch" for resources expected to be used later. Servers can also hint resources via Link headers. JavaScript can trigger on-demand fetches or dynamic imports as well.

Use cases include preloading critical assets needed for the initial render, such as CSS, fonts, and above-the-fold images. Prefetching is suitable for assets of pages users are likely to visit next, or data for subsequent interactions. The goal is to balance readiness with network cost.

Caveats include wasted bandwidth if hints are inaccurate, possible cache pollution, and different browser behaviors. Hints should be used judically and tested with performance budgets and real user metrics. Privacy and security considerations include restricting cross-origin preloads and respecting user preferences.

In practice, this approach is most effective in dynamic sites and progressive web apps where navigation patterns are predictable.