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Web Dev · by Mariam Said · 2026-09-06

I tried doing performance the boring way and it worked on a budget

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

> Tiny progress is still progress.

That line sounds cheesy, but it got me through the part where backend stopped feeling new.

Context: I am not an expert, just someone trying to make Web Dev feel less intimidating. I wrote down what worked, what felt awkward, and what I would do differently next time.

The detail that surprised me was how much my desk changed the outcome. Same plan, different setting, completely different energy.

511 sparks · 116 comments

Comments

Silver Comet · 139 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I would write it down before changing anything else.

Mariam Said · 28 likes

That is a much better way to say it.

Nour Ali · 5 likes

Appreciate the nuance.

Silver Comet · 13 likes

Anecdote beats theory here.

Nour Ali · 1 likes

That is a good boundary.

Silver Comet · 1 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn.

Felix Weber · 1 likes

Fair pushback.

Maksym Bondar · 67 likes

This reminds me of something a friend in Nairobi mentioned. I would love to see the benchmark numbers.

Benjamín Rojas · 46 likes

The budget angle is what sold me. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me. I would love to see the benchmark numbers.

Noé Petit · 41 likes

This made me smile more than expected. The Cape Town example makes it feel concrete.

Omar Hassan · 10 likes

Good clarification — I read it differently at first.

Curious River · 23 likes

This feels a little overrated to me, even if the intention is good. The 7-minute rule is underrated.

Rohan Mehta · 22 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.

Kabir Khan · 20 likes

This reminds me of something a friend in Jakarta mentioned. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station.

Mariam Said · 19 likes

There is probably a middle ground here. This is more useful on a tired lunch break than on a perfect day.

Isha Menon · 10 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.

Pixel Atlas · 16 likes

What would you change if you started over? I noticed the same thing in Lisbon.

Maya Putri · 48 likes

Appreciate the nuance.

Solar Sparrow · 6 likes

Thanks, that actually helped.

Chloe Davis · 0 likes

That made the concept click.

Bilal Raza · 6 likes

Adding this to my notes.

Mariam Said · 2 likes

I laughed, but you are not wrong.

Angel Reyes · 20 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Omar Hassan · 15 likes

Helpful correction.

Urban Runner · 4 likes

I would pin this if I could.

Mariam Said · 8 likes

Kind of wild how often performance is the whole issue.

Mariam Said · 8 likes

Adding this to my notes.

Isha Menon · 4 likes

Anecdote beats theory here.

Mariam Said · 2 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.

Mariam Said · 1 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Mariam Said · 4 likes

@urban_urban This. Exactly this.

Mariam Said · 2 likes

@urban_urban Could be regional too.

Pixel Atlas · 3 likes

Yep, the boring details matter.

Tola Ibrahim · 16 likes

Useful intention, poor execution. The ambitious part is easy to underestimate.

Midnight Otter · 45 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet.

Noah Miller · 7 likes

Helpful correction.

Mateo Cruz · 15 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. I keep a note about backend for exactly this reason.

Liam Eriksson · 15 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Hamza Malik · 14 likes

Honestly, great taste. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a tiny balcony.

Mateo Cruz · 6 likes

That is the part people skip.

Omar Hassan · 6 likes

Can you expand on that a bit?

Paolo Garcia · 13 likes

What would you change if you started over? I would write it down before changing anything else.

Rafael Almeida · 12 likes

The kindness in this post is lovely.

Camila Soto · 12 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink tried. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Bianca Santos · 26 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase.

Tiny Panda · 4 likes

That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.

João Pereira · 0 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase.

Ngozi Bello · 12 likes

Interesting. I would like to see how it changes after 9 months.

Pixel Otter · 11 likes

Did anyone else read this and immediately make a tiny checklist? I would test it for 4 days before deciding.

Isha Menon · 10 likes

I wish more posts had this much context. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.

Mariana Costa · 20 likes

That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.

Maya Putri · 7 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy.

Tola Ibrahim · 3 likes

Anecdote beats theory here.

Tanvir Rahman · 9 likes

Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Istanbul? For me it came down to the route. The boring solution is probably the reliable one here.

Mango River · 1 likes

I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.

Maya Putri · 1 likes

That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.

Camila Rocha · 1 likes

That sounds great until you add children/pets/deadlines.

Maya Williams · 9 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about performance. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Beatriz Sousa · 8 likes

I do not have a strong take, but the doing detail is useful. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a neighborhood park.

Jiho Lee · 8 likes

What would you change if you started over? My friend tried it in Berlin and had the opposite result.

Priya Nair · 3 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.

Siti Lestari · 7 likes

There is a hidden assumption here that not everyone shares. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability.

Lucas Dubois · 19 likes

@siti-18 Fair pushback.

Paper Runner · 3 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller.

Avery Johnson · 13 likes

@paper-41 Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.

Lina Keller · 1 likes

Helpful correction.

Emir Kaya · 7 likes

The framing feels off to me. Not terrible, just not convincing. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Ayesha Khan · 5 likes

I had the same reaction to wins.

Benjamín Rojas · 7 likes

Really good advice, and it feels doable. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Kabir Khan · 7 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. It sounds small, but the recipe matters.

Liam Eriksson · 6 likes

Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. I would love to see a follow-up after 5 weeks.

Budi Santoso · 5 likes

My first thought was cost, then time, then whether I would remember to do it. The the library detail changes the whole answer.

Cedar Mango · 3 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Mariam Said · 2 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller.

Silver Fern · 5 likes

I wish more posts had this much context.

Rapid Noodle · 1 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn.

Silver Fern · 7 likes

I think both things can be true.

Priya Nair · 5 likes

The conclusion is too broad, but the example is interesting.

Midnight Otter · 5 likes

Yep, the boring details matter.

Urban Rider · 1 likes

I like this more than the top-level advice.

Bilal Raza · 5 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.

Lina Al Harbi · 4 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Priya Nair · 14 likes

This. Exactly this.

Luciana Vargas · 5 likes

Good clarification — I read it differently at first.

Curious Coder · 4 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about performance. It sounds small, but the route matters.

Urban Otter · 4 likes

My version of this was messier, but the conclusion was similar.

Silver Orbit · 4 likes

I disagree a bit. worked matters, but the bigger issue is usually expectations. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Mariam Said · 3 likes

Beautifully concise.

Maya Williams · 4 likes

I am cheering for this update. My friend tried it in Lisbon and had the opposite result.

Maya Williams · 3 likes

The performance angle is what sold me. I keep a note about ux for exactly this reason.

Theo Bennett · 3 likes

The vibe here is immaculate.

Ananya Rao · 3 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.

Piotr Zieliński · 3 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. I keep a note about css for exactly this reason. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.

Ayesha Khan · 3 likes

The kindness in this post is lovely. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Tiny Coder · 3 likes

The vibe here is immaculate. For me it came down to the prototype.

Midnight Otter · 41 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet.

Sara Al Nuaimi · 3 likes

That last line is excellent. The surprising part is easy to underestimate.

Sleepy River · 3 likes

This is adorable and oddly motivating. The practical part is easy to underestimate.

Wanjiku Mwangi · 3 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a family dinner. Good reminder that tools should serve people, not the reverse.

Mia Anderson · 3 likes

I am mostly here for the follow-up. I would write it down before changing anything else.