What Minification means
The code works exactly the same but takes fewer bytes. Modern build tools minify automatically for production.
It is usually combined with compression such as gzip or Brotli on the server for further savings.
Web Development
Minification
Minification removes spaces, comments, and unnecessary characters from code files like JavaScript and CSS so they download faster.
Example
A 300 KB JavaScript file shrinks to 110 KB after minification and to around 35 KB once compressed for transfer.
Why it matters
Smaller files mean faster pages, especially on mobile data, at no cost once the build is set up.
Keep learning
Related terms.
- JavaScriptJavaScript is the programming language of the web. It makes pages interactive, from menus and forms to full web applications.
- CSSCSS is the language that styles web pages, controlling layout, colours, fonts, spacing, and animation, separately from the HTML structure.
- CachingCaching stores copies of files or results so they can be served again quickly, instead of rebuilding or downloading them every time.
- Core Web VitalsCore Web Vitals are Google's three measures of real user experience: loading (LCP), responsiveness (INP), and visual stability (CLS).
Web Development
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