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Lab Testing & Audits ​

Optima's Lab Testing provides automated, scheduled Lighthouse audits that complement your real user monitoring data. Get detailed performance analysis, optimization recommendations, and track improvements over time with comprehensive before/after comparisons.

🧪 Automated Lighthouse Audits ​

Scheduled Testing ​

Set up automated audits that run on your schedule:

  • Flexible Scheduling: Hourly, daily, weekly, or custom intervals
  • Multiple URLs: Test your most important pages automatically
  • Different Conditions: Desktop, mobile, and various network speeds
  • Timezone Support: Schedule tests for optimal timing globally

Comprehensive Analysis ​

Each audit provides detailed insights:

  • Performance Score: Overall Lighthouse performance rating (0-100)
  • Core Web Vitals: LCP, FID, CLS measurements in controlled environment
  • Detailed Metrics: FCP, SI, TTI, TBT, and more
  • Opportunities: Specific recommendations with estimated savings
  • Diagnostics: Technical issues affecting performance

📊 Performance Metrics ​

Core Web Vitals Lab Data ​

Compare lab results with real user data:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

  • Lab measurement in controlled environment
  • Comparison with field data from real users
  • Trend analysis over time
  • Impact of optimizations

First Input Delay (FID) / Total Blocking Time (TBT)

  • TBT as proxy for FID in lab environment
  • Main thread blocking analysis
  • JavaScript execution timing
  • Interaction readiness measurement

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

  • Visual stability measurement
  • Layout shift identification
  • Element-specific shift analysis
  • Optimization recommendations

Additional Performance Metrics ​

Speed Index (SI)

  • Visual completeness progression
  • Above-the-fold content loading
  • Perceived performance measurement
  • Comparison across different pages

Time to Interactive (TTI)

  • Full interactivity measurement
  • Main thread availability
  • Network quiet periods
  • User experience readiness

🎯 Advanced Features ​

Filmstrip Visualization ​

See exactly how your page loads:

  • Frame-by-Frame Analysis: Visual progression of page loading
  • Timing Markers: Key performance milestones highlighted
  • Element Identification: See when specific elements appear
  • Loading Patterns: Understand content rendering sequence

Performance Comparison ​

Track improvements and regressions:

  • Historical Trends: Performance changes over time
  • Before/After Analysis: Impact of deployments and changes
  • Regression Detection: Automatic alerts for performance drops
  • Improvement Tracking: Measure optimization effectiveness

Multi-Device Testing ​

Test across different environments:

  • Desktop Testing: High-end desktop simulation
  • Mobile Testing: Mid-tier mobile device simulation
  • Network Throttling: 3G, 4G, and WiFi simulation
  • Custom Configurations: Define your own test parameters

🔧 Configuration Options ​

Test Settings ​

Customize your audit parameters:

javascript
// Example test configuration
{
  "url": "https://yoursite.com",
  "device": "mobile",
  "throttling": {
    "network": "4G",
    "cpu": 4
  },
  "schedule": "daily",
  "notifications": true,
  "categories": [
    "performance",
    "accessibility",
    "best-practices",
    "seo"
  ]
}

Custom Audits ​

Define specific testing scenarios:

  • User Journey Testing: Multi-step user flow audits
  • Authenticated Pages: Test behind login walls
  • Dynamic Content: Test pages with varying content
  • A/B Testing: Compare different page versions

Integration Options ​

Connect with your development workflow:

  • CI/CD Integration: Automated testing in deployment pipeline
  • GitHub Integration: Performance checks on pull requests
  • Slack Notifications: Instant alerts for performance issues
  • API Access: Programmatic access to audit results

📈 Optimization Recommendations ​

Actionable Insights ​

Get specific recommendations for improvement:

Image Optimization

  • Format recommendations (WebP, AVIF)
  • Compression opportunities
  • Lazy loading suggestions
  • Responsive image implementation

JavaScript Optimization

  • Code splitting opportunities
  • Unused code identification
  • Bundle size analysis
  • Loading strategy recommendations

CSS Optimization

  • Critical CSS extraction
  • Unused CSS removal
  • Loading optimization
  • Render-blocking resource elimination

Network Optimization

  • HTTP/2 implementation
  • Resource preloading
  • CDN optimization
  • Caching strategy improvements

Performance Budget ​

Set and monitor performance budgets:

  • Metric Thresholds: Define acceptable performance ranges
  • Budget Alerts: Notifications when budgets are exceeded
  • Trend Monitoring: Track budget compliance over time
  • Team Accountability: Share budget status across teams

🎨 Reporting & Analytics ​

Comprehensive Reports ​

Detailed performance analysis:

  • Executive Summary: High-level performance overview
  • Technical Details: In-depth metric analysis
  • Trend Analysis: Performance changes over time
  • Comparison Reports: Before/after optimization impact

Visual Analytics ​

Easy-to-understand performance visualization:

  • Performance Scores: Clear scoring and grading
  • Metric Trends: Historical performance charts
  • Opportunity Sizing: Potential improvement quantification
  • Progress Tracking: Optimization impact measurement

Export Options ​

Share and integrate results:

  • PDF Reports: Professional performance reports
  • JSON Data: Raw data for custom analysis
  • CSV Export: Spreadsheet-compatible data
  • API Integration: Programmatic data access

🚀 Best Practices ​

Testing Strategy ​

Optimize your lab testing approach:

  1. Regular Scheduling: Consistent testing intervals
  2. Key Page Coverage: Focus on most important pages
  3. Multiple Conditions: Test various devices and networks
  4. Baseline Establishment: Create performance benchmarks
  5. Continuous Monitoring: Track long-term trends

Optimization Workflow ​

Systematic performance improvement:

  1. Identify Issues: Use audit recommendations
  2. Prioritize Fixes: Focus on high-impact optimizations
  3. Implement Changes: Make targeted improvements
  4. Measure Impact: Verify optimization effectiveness
  5. Iterate: Continuous improvement cycle

🔗 Integration with RUM ​

Lab vs Field Data ​

Understand the relationship:

  • Controlled Environment: Lab testing provides consistent baseline
  • Real World Conditions: RUM shows actual user experience
  • Correlation Analysis: Compare lab predictions with field results
  • Optimization Validation: Verify lab improvements in real data

Combined Insights ​

Leverage both data sources:

  • Issue Identification: Lab testing finds potential problems
  • Impact Validation: RUM confirms real-world impact
  • Optimization Guidance: Lab suggests fixes, RUM measures success
  • Performance Monitoring: Comprehensive coverage of all scenarios

🚀 Getting Started ​

  1. Set up your first audit in the Optima dashboard
  2. Configure test parameters for your key pages
  3. Schedule regular testing for continuous monitoring
  4. Review recommendations and implement optimizations
  5. Track improvements with before/after comparisons

Ready to start automated testing? Configure your first audit →

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