TTFP

Time to First Paint

A web performance metric that measures the time it takes for a user’s browser to render the very first pixel of content to the screen after they request a page. It is one of the earliest indicators of perceived load speed, because it marks the moment when a blank screen is replaced by some visible element, even if the page isn’t yet usable.

What TTFP Measures

When a visitor navigates to a webpage, their browser makes requests to fetch HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, and other resources. TTFP records the exact point at which the browser first paints anything—this could be a background color, a header, or even a simple text character. It does not require meaningful content yet, only that the page has visually changed from blank to non-blank.

Why TTFP Matters

From the user’s perspective, speed is psychological as much as it is technical. A site may still be loading resources in the background, but if the screen shows activity quickly, it reassures visitors that the site is responsive. A low TTFP:

• Reduces the perception of slowness because users see progress sooner.
• Signals that the site is optimized for delivering initial assets without delay.
• Contributes to better PageSpeed Insights scores, since Google factors paint metrics into its evaluation of user experience.

How TTFP Differs from Other Metrics

TTFP is often confused with related paint metrics:

• First Contentful Paint (FCP): This measures when meaningful content (text, images, canvas, SVGs) first appears, not just any paint.
• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This tracks when the main, largest piece of content becomes visible, and is more directly tied to Core Web Vitals (CWV).
• First Input Delay (FID): Unlike TTFP, FID measures interactivity, not visual rendering.

In short, TTFP is an earlier signal of loading progress, while FCP and LCP tell you when more substantive and applicable content arrives.

Factors Affecting TTFP

Several technical aspects influence how fast the first paint occurs:

• Server response times: A slow server delays delivery of the first byte, pushing back the paint.
• Render-blocking resources: Large CSS or synchronous JavaScript files in the head can cause rendering delays.
• Critical rendering path optimization: If essential CSS is inlined and minimal, the browser can render the page more quickly.
• Caching and CDNs: By serving assets closer to the user, these reduce latency and help render the first paint quickly.

Best Practices for Optimizing TTFP

Improving TTFP requires reducing the time between a request and the very first paintable response:

• Use server-side compression: Gzip or Brotli to reduce file transfer size.
• Inline critical CSS: Ensures the browser can style above-the-fold content immediately.
• Defer non-critical JavaScript: Prevents blocking the rendering pipeline.
• Optimize server response: Reduce TTFB (Time to First Byte) so browsers can begin parsing faster.
• Leverage preconnect and preload: Provide the browser with early hints about the most important resources.

Role of TTFP in Performance Strategy

While TTFP is not one of Google’s Core Web Vitals, it remains a critical supporting metric. Developers and marketers alike can view it as the first impression of site speed. Improving TTFP helps establish trust, keeps bounce rates lower, and complements the broader performance strategy centered around LCP, FID, and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift).

By treating TTFP as the earliest checkpoint in the page load journey, businesses ensure that visitors aren’t left staring at a blank screen, even if more advanced performance metrics still require deeper optimization.