Michael Vicente
McMaster-Carr, a company known for its massive catalog of industrial and commercial supplies, has managed to build a remarkably fast and efficient website despite being over 100 years old. While you might expect a traditional company to struggle with digital modernization, McMaster-Carr’s website consistently ranks among the fastest, thanks to a variety of smart engineering practices. Here’s a detailed look at why the McMaster.com website feels so snappy and responsive, using some of the latest (and oldest) tricks in the book to achieve its speed.
1. Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
One of the core techniques McMaster uses to speed up its website is server-side rendering. Instead of relying on JavaScript frameworks to generate the page content dynamically in the browser, McMaster’s server directly sends the fully-formed HTML. This allows the browser to render the page more quickly, as there’s no need to wait for JavaScript to execute before content appears. The browser is exceptionally good at rendering pure HTML, so this approach ensures that users get a near-instantaneous experience.
2. Prefetching HTML
McMaster’s website doesn’t just stop at server-side rendering; it also aggressively prefetches content. When a user hovers over a link, the site preloads the HTML for the target page. This technique ensures that if the user clicks the link, the new page appears almost instantaneously, as much of the content is already loaded. The page content even renders before the URL in the address bar updates, giving the impression of instantaneous loading.
3. Aggressive Caching
Caching is used extensively throughout McMaster’s website. The site employs several layers of caching, including browser caching, server caching using a proxy called “Squid Cache,” and caching on a Content Delivery Network (CDN). These layers work together to ensure that frequently accessed content is served quickly from the nearest location or from the browser’s own storage, reducing the need for repeated network requests.
The use of a service worker also enables caching at the browser level. This technology allows the site to intercept network requests and serve cached versions of the content, resulting in faster load times and a smoother experience.
4. Preloading and DNS Prefetching
The engineers behind McMaster.com also employ several techniques to speed up resource loading. For instance, they preload essential resources, such as web fonts and images, in the HTML head. This approach instructs the browser to fetch these resources early, so they’re ready to be used as soon as the page content loads.
DNS prefetching is another optimization employed by McMaster.com. This technique allows the browser to resolve the IP addresses of various domain names in advance, minimizing the time it takes to fetch external resources like images or scripts.
5. Inlined Critical CSS
McMaster’s website includes its critical CSS directly within the HTML. By embedding necessary styles before the body tag, the browser can immediately apply the styles to the page content as it renders the HTML. This eliminates the delay that would otherwise occur if the browser had to stop and download an external CSS file. For non-critical styles, the site loads additional CSS after the main content has been displayed, allowing the initial page to appear faster.
6. Efficient Image Handling
Images on the McMaster.com site are optimized to prevent “page jank”—a phenomenon where content shifts as images load. The site specifies fixed width and height for images, ensuring that the space they occupy is reserved before the images download. Additionally, McMaster.com uses an old-school technique known as image spriting, where multiple images are combined into a single larger image file. This reduces the number of HTTP requests needed, further speeding up the page.
7. JavaScript Optimization
Though McMaster uses older JavaScript libraries like YUI and jQuery, the website feels fast because it loads only the necessary JavaScript for each page. By determining which scripts are required for a particular page and loading only those, the site avoids the performance penalties that come with downloading and executing excessive JavaScript. This modular approach keeps the site lightweight and responsive, even if the underlying technology is decades old.
8. Performance Monitoring and Fine-Tuning
Performance is clearly a priority for the team at McMaster-Carr. The site measures and monitors every aspect of performance using built-in tools like window.performance and performance.mark(). These metrics help engineers identify bottlenecks and optimize further, ensuring that the site remains fast under various conditions.
9. Database Optimization
Given that McMaster-Carr offers around 700,000 products, searching and accessing data efficiently is crucial. The company appears to have put significant effort into optimizing database queries and caching to minimize delays associated with large-scale data retrieval. While there are occasional slowdowns, the overall experience remains snappy due to the combined use of server-side caching and data optimization techniques.
10. Understanding User Needs
McMaster’s user base largely consists of industrial workers and engineers who need quick access to specific parts or supplies. Recognizing that its users often work in environments where speed and efficiency are paramount, McMaster-Carr has fine-tuned its site to meet those expectations. The fast loading times and straightforward navigation cater to users who may be on older devices or using less-than-ideal internet connections.
Conclusion
McMaster.com demonstrates that a fast website doesn’t always require the latest and greatest web technologies. By utilizing time-tested techniques like server-side rendering, prefetching, aggressive caching, and critical CSS, the site manages to deliver a blazing-fast user experience. Its combination of modern performance practices and old-school optimization techniques offers a blueprint for building a high-performance web presence, regardless of the underlying technology stack.
This speed-first approach is a testament to the engineering team’s dedication to performance and the company’s understanding of its customers’ needs, making McMaster.com one of the fastest websites around.