Optimizing Web Apps with Page Visibility, User Idle, and Page Lifecycle APIs
Web application features you may not know: Page Visibility API, User Idle API & Page Lifecycle API
In recent years, the ever-increasing possibilities for web applications have often led to monstrously large and resource-consuming structures. Huge frameworks, tons of libraries, images in 4K. There are also extensive calculations, since the back-end no longer has to take care of it. Accompanied by endless data transfers to always have everything up to date.
Fortunately, this is already recognized and a modern approach will take these challenges into account. This can also be supported by information about whether the application is currently being actively used.
With the Page Visibility API it is possible to see whether the application is in the foreground. This means that, for example, resource-intensive calculations or UI updates etc. can be interrupted in order to save the battery. But also to throttle data exchange to save bandwidth.
The User Idle API can be described as an addition. This provides information about user activity. Even if the application is in demand, optimizations can be applied when the user is not active.
You can go even further with the Page Lifecycle API. This gives you feedback about browser-related optimizations. For example, if an application that is currently running in the background is paused to save CPU and memory. But also if they are continued or if necessary have to be completely reloaded.
All of these featires can help to create a solution that conserves resources as much as possible. But also to optimize the user experience if the application reacts specifically to such state changes. Possibly even to recognize patterns in how an application is used.