Lighthouse, Google’s renowned tool for diagnosing website performance issues, has taken a giant leap forward with the introduction of Lighthouse 11. Rolled out on August 28th, Lighthouse 11 is not only powering PageSpeed Insights but is also shaping up to be an indispensable resource for web developers seeking to elevate their websites’ performance.
Recognizing the importance of web accessibility, Lighthouse 11 introduces thirteen new accessibility audits. Covering aspects such as aria-allowed-role, image-redundant-alt, and label-content-name-mismatch, these audits empower developers to identify and rectify accessibility shortcomings, ultimately improving the user experience for individuals with disabilities.
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Lighthouse 11 introduces changes in how best practices are scored, aligning websites with the latest industry standards. Addressing a bug from Lighthouse 10.2.0, Lighthouse 11 corrects the scoring of the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) metric, providing accurate diagnostic feedback crucial for developers striving for an outstanding user experience.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP), initially an experimental metric, is now formally recognized as non-experimental in Lighthouse 11. Expected to become an official Core Web Vital by 2024, INP’s recognition highlights its significance in evaluating and enhancing user experience. Lighthouse 11 goes beyond major updates, incorporating multiple bug fixes to enhance overall stability and reliability, ensuring a smoother experience for developers.
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One of the standout changes in Lighthouse 11 is the formal recognition of Interaction to Next Paint (INP) as a non-experimental metric. Initially experimental, INP has proven its value and is set to become a core component of user experience assessment by 2024.
Lighthouse 11’s bug fix for the scoring error associated with the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) metric rectifies diagnostic inaccuracies introduced in Lighthouse 10.2.0. With this fix, developers can now rely on precise LCP scoring, gaining meaningful insights into their website’s performance.
Lighthouse 11 places a strong emphasis on web accessibility, introducing thirteen new audits to identify and address accessibility issues effectively. Audits like aria-allowed-role and image-redundant-alt empower developers to enhance the accessibility and usability of their websites, catering to a broader audience.
While Lighthouse 11 sets a new standard for website performance diagnostics, Google’s commitment to optimizing PageSpeed Insights doesn’t end here. Significant changes are anticipated in 2024, promising even more substantial advancements. Developers keen on staying ahead are encouraged to explore official resources provided by Google for the latest updates on PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse.