Performance team meeting summary 2 August 2022

Meeting agenda here and the full chat log is available beginning here on Slack.

Announcements

• @mxbclang: Performance bugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. scrub will be held Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 11am EDT

Focus group updates

Images

@adamsilverstein @mikeschroder

GitHub project

• @adamsilverstein: Working on follow-up patches for the main WebP feature in coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., including fixes for a few small bugs (https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/3031 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/56323). Also working enhancements for multi-MIME type support for edit/restore, shim for non-supporting browsers, plugin integration points, and PDF upload -> secondary MIME. Could use a review on https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/3031 to get merged ASAP.
• @mukeshpanchal27: Working on:
  • WebP compatibility: add fallback for non-supporting browsers to core – PR #3034 ready for review
  • Add the new source data to the media REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/. endpoint – PR #3025 merged in WordPress core
  • Add the original image’s extension to the WebP file name to ensure it is unique – PR #444 need final review
  • Enhance JSJS JavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. replacement mechanism for WebP to JPEG to more reliably replace full file name – PR #443 need final review

Feedback requested

• See above
• Needs Discussion (8 issues)
• Needs Review (1 issue)

Object Cache

@tillkruess @spacedmonkey

GitHub project

• @spacedmonkey out through 5 September
• No updates

Feedback requested

• See list above
• Needs Discussion (3 issues)
• Needs Review (1 issue)

Site Health

N/A

GitHub project

• We’re seeking 1-2 POCs for this group; if you’re interested, please comment here or pingPing The act of sending a very small amount of data to an end point. Ping is used in computer science to illicit a response from a target server to test it’s connection. Ping is also a term used by Slack users to @ someone or send them a direct message (DM). Users might say something along the lines of “Ping me when the meeting starts.” in SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.
• @olliejones: #326 Update Settings language for health checks. #423 is ready

Feedback requested

• Needs Discussion (7 issues)

Measurement

N/A

GitHub project

• We’re seeking 1-2 POCs for this group; if you’re interested, please comment here or ping in Slack
• @mxbclang: Reminder about the performance testing environment work started back in March: https://make.wordpress.org/core/2022/03/22/performance-team-meeting-summary-22-march-2022/. This has stalled out since then; if anyone is interested in picking it back up, let us know.

Feedback requested

• Needs Discussion (5 issues)
• Needs Review (1 issue)

JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/.

@aristath @sergiomdgomes

GitHub project

• No updates

Feedback requested

• Tree-shaking block styles on the frontend #41020
• Needs Discussion (2 issues)
• Needs Review (3 issues)

Infrastructure

@flixos90

GitHub project

• @flixos90 out
• @mukeshpanchal27: Worked on:
  • Fix unexpected input Warning message during release build/test process – PR #437 needs review; @adamsilverstein to test
  • Use PERFLAB_MODULES_SCREEN constant – PR #463 ready for review

Feedback requested

• See above
• Needs Discussion (4 issues)
• Needs Review (1 issue)
• Needs Testing (1 issue)

Module proposal: Database performance Health Checks – @olliejones

• @olliejones: Proposing a total of eight separate health checks that cover a variety of database issues; more details and mockups here. These would all be in one single module.
• @mxbclang: Any issues with having these all in one module as opposed to separate, as we’ve done previously with health checks?
• @adamsilverstein: Not an issue, but concerned about the recommendations for adding keys and if they would be actionable by users
• @olliejones: The add-keys actions are presented as WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ commands with a copy-to-clipboard function
• @adamsilverstein: Right, but what percentage of WP users know what WP-CLI is and use it?
• @masteradhoc: Important to describe these very well as they’ll be hard for everyone to understand
• @mukeshpanchal27: Are there other ways to add keys outside of CLICLI Command Line Interface. Terminal (Bash) in Mac, Command Prompt in Windows, or WP-CLI for WordPress.?
• @olliejones: I have a pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party that does this re-keying
• @mxbclang: Unfortunately we can’t point users there
• @olliejones: What about a separate module for the health checks that generate CLI commands?
• @adamsilverstein: Goal here is to build features for core, which means they have to help the majority (80%+) of users, so anything that is specifically for very large sites or uses CLI is plugin territory, not core
• @zero4281: Since query speed is dictated by rows in a table, can we only display a health check if a site has a certain number of posts/rows?
• @mxbclang: Since everything in Performance Lab should eventually be merged into core, the CLI-related health checks probably should not be in this plugin
• @adamsilverstein: Focus on the existing warning to make sure it is “site owner” targeted and maybe drop the keys check entirely. For the advanced part, maybe create a concise guide for the developer handbook to cover important approaches
  • Could be in https://wordpress.org/support/article/optimization/#database-tuning or perhaps on our Performance site
• @seedsca: What is wrong with WP-CLI? It’s a great tool
  • @adamsilverstein: Agreed, it’s just that it’s not something an average WP user knows about or how to use
• @mxbclang: VOTE: Do we want to proceed with this proposal as-is, with all eight checks, including the CLI-related ones?
  • At time of meeting, 6 no votes and 1 yes vote
• @mxbclang: Next step is for @olliejones to revise the proposal to indicate which checks would be included/removed to proceed. Once that update has been made, we can discuss again in a future chat.

Our next chat will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 11am EDT in the #core-performance channel in Slack.

#core-js, #core-media, #performance, #performance-chat, #summary, #hosting-community