frontend/backend performance checking/enchancements

[jayv25585659]

I've seen the best practices mentioned by Adobe. BUT are there other performance checks/enhancements I can make on my frontend/backend code?

The ones that I can think of are:

• checking the logs/monitoring tools available in the instance
• lighthouse metrics

Anything else?

Thanks!

[ShivamKumar]

Hi @jayv25585659 ,

The following aspects can be reviewed to improve performance and implement enhancements:
Backend:-

• Enable Dispatcher Caching
• Use Efficient JCR Queries (SQL2)
• Use Sling Request Tracing:- /system/console/requests shows slow components or script executions.
• Move Heavy Logic Out of Sling Models:- Sling Models should only bind data, use OSGi services for business logic.
• Avoid Synchronous External API Calls:- Use async jobs or cache responses to reduce rendering delay.

Frontend:-

• Run Lighthouse & Fix Core Web Vitals
• Lazy Load Images and Iframes:- Add loading="lazy" to reduce initial load.
• Minify and Compress Assets:-Minify CSS/JS/HTML and enable GZIP at Dispatcher or CDN.
• Use Critical CSS + Code Splitting:- Inline above-the-fold CSS only; defer the rest.
• Use WebP or AVIF for Images

Use Adobe Cloud Manager’s Performance Testing (if on AEMaaCS)

[AmitVishwakarma]

Hi @jayv25585659 ,

Backend Performance Checks (AEM-focused)

1. Profiling & Analysis
     - Use /system/console/requests to trace slow request rendering paths.
     - Enable AEM Developer Tools (like ACS Commons' Request Timer).
     - Use AEM’s Logs Analysis in Cloud Manager to find long-running requests.

Backend Performance Checks (AEM-focused)

1. Profiling & Analysis
     - Use /system/console/requests to trace slow request rendering paths.
     - Enable AEM Developer Tools (like ACS Commons' Request Timer).
     - Use AEM’s Logs Analysis in Cloud Manager to find long-running requests.
2.Core Improvements
     - Dispatcher Caching:
          - Ensure HTML, clientlibs, JSON, model.json, etc. are cached.
          - Verify proper cache headers and .stat invalidation strategy.
     - JCR Query Optimization:
          - Avoid XPath; use SQL2 with indexed properties.
          - Monitor slow queries via /system/console/jcrresolver.

     - Avoid Deep Resource Traversal:

          - Avoid deep .getChildren() or recursion in Sling Models.
     - Defer/Async Expensive Calls:
          - Move heavy logic to background jobs or ResourceChangeListener services.
          - Use Sling Dynamic Includes (SDI) for dynamic fragments inside cached pages.

     - Memory Usage Audits:

          - Monitor heap and GC metrics via AEM’s operations dashboard or Cloud Manager.

Frontend Performance Enhancements
1. Metrics & Diagnostics
- Lighthouse CI to track regressions on PRs.
- WebPageTest for real-world throttled testing.
- Chrome DevTools Performance tab for frame drops, layout shifts, long tasks.
2. Key Optimizations
- Defer JS where possible (defer / async attributes).
- Lazy load images, fonts, and embeds using native HTML features or Intersection Observer.
- Minify & Tree-shake JavaScript via Webpack, Rollup, or Vite.
- Use content-visibility: auto on long pages to avoid unnecessary layout cost.
- Inline critical CSS and lazy-load the rest.
3. Images
- Serve WebP or AVIF.
- Use srcset + sizes for responsive loading.
- Use AEM Image Profiles and Dynamic Media for optimization.
Cloud-Specific Tools (AEMaaCS)

Adobe Cloud Manager Performance Testing — simulates traffic and checks KPIs.

New Relic/Datadog Integration — for request tracing and throughput metrics.

Akamai or CDN Metrics — confirm cache hit ratios, response sizes.

Note:

Bundle Analysis Tools (like Webpack Bundle Analyzer).

Reduce third-party scripts — they're a silent killer for performance.

Keep your clientlibs lean and modular.

Use AEM Experience Fragments + Edge Delivery for performance reuse.

Regards,
Amit

[jayv25585659]

Thanks for the extensive reponse.

Just a clarification if you don't mind. When you said "Edge Delivery", do you mean the new/newish "Edge Delivery Service" (EDS) from Adobe. Or do you mean the "edge delivery" that's normally associated with CDNs?

If it's EDS from Adobe, I had a look at it last year and it seems to be the components have to designed/coded with EDS is mind. your normal components you designed for on-prem/AEMaaCS is not going to work without changes. correct? Thanks again!

[AmitVishwakarma]

Hi @jayv25585659 

Great question — and you're absolutely right to draw that distinction.

Yes, when I mentioned Edge Delivery, I was referring to Adobe’s Edge Delivery Services (EDS) — the newer offering designed for high-performance, edge-optimized rendering.

And you're correct:
EDS does require a different approach compared to traditional AEM Sites development. The core differences include:

 Component Model: EDS uses plain HTML + Markdown + JSON, unlike traditional HTL/Sling-based components.

Authoring: Content is often authored in Google Docs, Sheets, or Markdown and processed into JSON via the Unified Shell.

Deployment & Runtime: It uses Helix pipeline, and rendering is done at the edge using Fastly and VCL-based logic, not the Java-based AEM runtime.

So yes — existing AEM components (built with HTL, Sling Models, etc.) won’t work out-of-the-box in EDS. You’d typically need to reimplement them in the EDS paradigm.

That said, for performance-critical microsites, marketing landing pages, or use cases where speed and scale are paramount, EDS can be a strong fit — especially with edge-native caching and zero infrastructure ops.

Regards,
Amit