We see it all the time: developers spending weeks optimizing images and minifying CSS, only to find their site is still slow. The real culprits are often hiding in plain sight.
The Usual Suspects (That Everyone Ignores)
1. Database Queries Without Indexes
Your site might be making dozens of database queries per page load, and most of them are doing full table scans. Adding proper indexes can cut response times by 90% or more.
-- Before: Full table scan (500ms)
SELECT * FROM posts WHERE author_id = 123;
-- After: With index (5ms)
CREATE INDEX idx_posts_author ON posts(author_id);
2. N+1 Query Problems
This is the silent killer of web performance. Your ORM might be generating a separate query for each related record instead of fetching them all at once.
// Bad: N+1 queries
const posts = await Post.findAll();
for (const post of posts) {
post.author = await Author.findById(post.authorId); // N additional queries
}
// Good: Eager loading
const posts = await Post.findAll({
include: [Author]
}); // Single query with JOIN
3. Unoptimized Docker Layers
If your Docker build takes 10 minutes, your deployment pipeline is broken. Layer caching should make most builds complete in under 30 seconds.
4. Missing CDN Configuration
A CDN isn't just for static files. Configure it properly for:
- API responses that don't change often
- Server-rendered pages with appropriate cache headers
- Geographic routing for global users
The Fix
Stop guessing where your performance problems are. Use proper profiling tools:
- New Relic or Datadog for server-side performance
- Chrome DevTools for frontend bottlenecks
- Slow query logs for database optimization
We've helped dozens of companies cut their load times in half just by addressing these hidden bottlenecks. The fixes are usually simpler than you'd expect.
Need help identifying your site's real performance issues? Get in touch for a free performance audit.