How to Reduce HTTP Requests to Improve Page Load Times

Nobody likes a slow website. You click a link, and the page takes forever to load—frustrating, right? You're not alone; we've all been there.

In fact, studies reveal that 47% of users expect a page to load in 2 seconds or less, and 40% will abandon a site that takes over 3 seconds.

So, what’s behind these frustrating delays? One major factor is the number of HTTP requests a webpage makes.

Think of HTTP requests like a shopping list for your website. Every time someone visits, their browser has to gather items like images, scripts, stylesheets, and more. The longer the list, the longer it takes to “check out” and load the page.

Reducing these requests can speed up your site, improve user experience, and keep visitors engaged.

This article will explore strategies to minimize HTTP requests and optimize your website's performance.
 

What are HTTP Requests?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests are messages sent from a client, such as a web browser, to a website's server to request a resource or perform an action on the web.

For example, when you visit a website, your browser sends an HTTP request to the server to retrieve essential files such as HTML, images, CSS, and JavaScript to display the page.

And that’s for all files on a web page.

Common HTTP request methods include:

• GET – This request is used to retrieve a resource or data from the server. For example, a browser fetching an image.
• POST – This request is used to send data to the server. For example, uploading a file or submitting a form.
• PUT – This request is used to update or replace an existing resource on the server. 
• DELETE – This is used to remove data from the server.

Minimizing these requests ensures a smoother, faster experience for users. We’ll show you how to minimize these requests in a bit. But first…
 

How to check HTTP requests on a website

The easiest way to test HTTP requests on your website is to use external tools. These can be web tools like Pingdom or WordPress plugins like Inspect HTTP Requests. 

For example, we entered the NitroPaack’s home page URL into Pingdom and tested the site to view the number of HTTP requests—22 in total:

Furthermore, most web browsers have built-in developer tools to inspect network activity, including HTTP requests. These tools can be invaluable for diagnosing performance issues, whether you're optimizing a website for general browsing or for specific applications like an online meeting platform.

Steps:

• Open your website in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
• Right-click on the page and select “Inspect” or press F12 to open Developer Tools.

• Go to the “Network” tab

• Refresh the page to see all HTTP requests made during the load.
• Click on any request to view details like:
  • Request method (GET, POST, etc.)
  • Request headers
  • Response headers
  • Status codes

The total number of requests is shown at the bottom. Here’s an image showing where to find them.

However, the results might differ between the online tool and the browser developer tools. Browser developer tools show all requests. This includes background API calls and scripts. Pingdom may only count the main resources needed to load the page.
 

How many HTTP requests are too many

There’s no fixed number of HTTP requests that’s universally considered “too many,” as it depends on the complexity of the website.

However, it's best to aim for requests that are under 50. If you can get it below 25, you’re doing great.
 

How do HTTP requests affect Site Speed?

The more HTTP requests a webpage makes, the longer it takes to load. Each request adds a small amount of delay, and when together, these delays increase the total loading time.

Plus, each request involves steps like DNS resolution, setting up a connection, and downloading the resource. 

For example, a tool like a domain name generator may involve multiple steps: checking domain availability, generating suggestions, and displaying the results. Each step requires an HTTP request, which adds to the overall load time and makes the site feel slower.
 

Why Minimize HTTP Requests

Minimizing HTTP requests is crucial for improving website performance. Fewer HTTP requests directly impact the Time to First Byte (TTFB). This is the time it takes for the browser to receive the first byte of data from the server. 

A reduction in latency contributes to faster page load times, which significantly impacts Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), a key Core Web Vitals metric. 

Therefore, minimizing HTTP requests leads to a faster, smoother user experience. It improves the overall website performance and helps keep website visitors on your site. Think about this: 

• Improved user experience: Fast-loading sites engage users and encourage exploration. On the other hand, slow websites harm user experience, resulting in fewer subscribers and sales.

A study shows that a 1-second delay can reduce page views by 11% and decrease customer satisfaction by 16%. 

• Better SEO: Google has considered site speed a ranking factor since 2010. That said, faster websites are more likely to rank higher in search results. 

In short, reducing HTTP requests boosts user experience and SEO, leading to higher engagement and better rankings.
 

6 Practical Tips to Cut Down HTTP Requests on Your Website

 

Here are six practical tips to minimize HTTP requests on your website:
 

1. Combine Files (CSS & JavaScript)

Combining CSS and JavaScript files means merging multiple files into one for each type. This creates a single CSS file and a single JavaScript file instead of several separate ones. 

So, instead of requesting 5 or more separate CSS or JavaScript files, the browser only needs to request one file for each. This leads to faster page load times and improved website performance.

There are generally two methods to combine CSS and JavaScript files:

• Manual merge: Open your HTML file, then place the CSS inside the style tag in the head section. Then, add your JavaScript code just before the body tag to ensure the content loads first before the scripts run. 

Here is an image that shows how you can do it.

Source

Alternatively, you can create separate CSS and JavaScript files and then copy the contents of your existing CSS and JavaScript files into the new files.

• Use tools: Use tools like NitroPack to automate the process of file minification and compression. NitroPack will minify and compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files automatically. The tool can also combine JavaScript files. 

Choose the merging method that fits your project, and use tools to automate the process if needed. 

Regardless of the method, verify the result by inspecting the page source with developer tools (F12 or 'alt + F12') to ensure all HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are merged correctly.
 

2. Use CSS Sprites

CSS sprites combine several images into one large image (sprite sheet) and then use CSS to show the needed part of the image for each element on the webpage. This speeds up page loading and allows a site to become more responsive.

Use an image-editing tool (e.g., Photoshop or GIMP) or a Sprite sheet packer like TexturePacker to create your CSS sprite. 

Gather all the images you want to merge. Next, organize them side by side, either horizontally or vertically. Your image might look something like this.

Then, use CSS to show only parts of an image sprite when needed. Create the class .sprite that will load your sprite image. Then, use the background-image property to connect to the sprite image. Also, use background-position to adjust the background so that the relevant section of the sprite is visible for each element.

Check out the following image to see how it works.

Optimize the size of those sprite images, as bigger ones harm mobile performance.
 

3. Use Lazy Loading for Images

Lazy loading for images delays the loading of images until they are about to be seen by the user. This approach can decrease the number of initial HTTP requests, improving page load times. 

For instance, when a user visits a webpage, only the images within the visible area are loaded initially. As the user scrolls down, the images that come into view are loaded dynamically.

One simple way to implement lazy loading is by using the loading="lazy" attribute in the img tag. This tells the browser to delay loading the image until the user scrolls near it.

For more advanced implementations, web developers can use frameworks like Angular or JavaScript libraries such as React, both of which support lazy loading.
 

4. Leverage Browser Caching

Browser caching temporarily stores static content (images, CSS, JavaScript, HTML) locally in the user's browser. This prevents the need to re-download these resources on future visits.

When a user visits a webpage, the browser checks for cached versions of resources from previous visits. If the resources are cached and still valid, the browser uses them instead of requesting new copies from the server. 

As a result, this reduces the number of HTTP requests.

You can implement caching on your website using two methods.

The first is to set caching headers in your web server configuration. This means defining a cache policy to decide how long resources should be cached before checking for updates. 

Here are four common caching headers you should know about:

• ETag: A unique identifier for a resource. If unchanged, the server returns a 304 status, telling the browser to use the cached version.
• Cache-Control: This defines caching rules, such as how long to cache (max-age), whether intermediaries can cache (public), and whether revalidation is required (no-cache).
• Expires: Specifies when a resource expires. Often used with Cache-Control for older browsers.
• Last-Modified: Shows when a resource was last changed. The browser checks this to decide whether to use the cached version or request a new one.

The second method is for WordPress users. You can use caching plugins, which are easy to set up. 

Then, you can easily test your browser caching rules using tools like Firefox’s web console or Chrome’s Developer Tools.

• Open the menu in the top-right corner.
• Select More Tools > Developer Tools.
• Enter your URL and press Enter.
• As the page loads, you'll see a list of requests.
• Click on a resource to inspect it.
• Check the Response headers. If the Status Code shows “200” with "from the memory cache," the resource is served from the cache.

It’s a good idea to use AI-powered graph RAG to guide you through the accurate, up-to-date process for implementing browser caching effectively.
 

5. Reduce the Number of Plugins

Each plugin typically adds its scripts, styles, and sometimes images or external resources (like fonts or third-party API calls). Therefore, using fewer plugins means fewer requests for these resources.

So, review your installed plugins and identify which ones are essential. Remove any that are redundant, outdated, or have overlapping functionality.

Also, look for plugins that combine multiple necessary functions. Instead of using separate plugins for caching, image optimization, and minification, consider a comprehensive performance plugin.

Furthermore, some plugins are designed to be lightweight and optimized for performance. If you can't eliminate a plugin, consider switching to a more efficient alternative.
 

6. Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of servers distributed across different geographic locations. Its primary goal is to deliver static content to users from the server closest to them.

CDNs cache copies of your site’s static content so users’ browsers don’t repeatedly request the same resources from your origin server. Also, when many users visit, the CDN distributes traffic across multiple servers to reduce the load on any single server and boost overall site speed.

Some popular CDN providers include Cloudflare, Amazon CloudFront, and KeyCDN. Some, like Cloudflare, offer free plans, while others offer premium services only. Choose one that aligns with your needs and budget.

Generally, the setup process includes signing up for the CDN, configuring your settings, updating your website's DNS, or setting up a CNAME record to direct traffic to the CDN. 

However, make sure to configure your CDN to cache static content such as images, CSS, JavaScript, and video files to minimize HTTP requests.

FAQs

How do I make fewer HTTP requests in WordPress?

To make fewer HTTP requests in WordPress, combine CSS and JavaScript files, use CSS sprites, use lazy loading for your images, minimize plugins, use a CDN, and leverage browser caching. These techniques reduce the number of files a browser needs to fetch when displaying your WordPress website. 
 

How do I fix 429 too many requests on WordPress?

Fix 429 too many requests on WordPress by clearing the browser cache and cookies, deactivating some plugins, and switching to the default WordPress theme. You can also get in touch with your hosting provider and have them check for server-side issues.
 

How do I disable HTTP requests in WordPress?

You can disable external HTTP requests in WordPress by opening your ‘wp-config.php’ file and adding the following code define( ‘WP_HTTP_BLOCK_EXTERNAL’, true ). However, keep in mind that disabling HTTP requests will affect core WordPress functionalities. 
 

Why should I reduce HTTP requests on my website?

Minimizing HTTP requests speeds up your website. It reduces the number of resources the browser needs to fetch, like images, scripts, and stylesheets. This leads to faster loading times and a better user experience.

Moreover, quicker websites positively impact SEO, as search engines like Google consider loading speed when determining rankings. As a result, your sites have a better chance of gaining organic search visibility.
 

How can I use browser caching to improve website performance?

Browser caching stores static resources (like images, CSS, and JavaScript) in a user's browser. This storage mechanism eliminates the need for these resources to be re-downloaded with every visit to a website.

So, setting a cache policy minimizes HTTP requests on repeat visits. This speeds up page load times and improves website performance. Consequently, users enjoy a faster and more efficient experience.

What are CSS sprites, and how do they help in reducing HTTPS requests?

CSS sprites are a technique where multiple images are combined into a single image file. This method minimizes HTTP requests for image-heavy websites.

Instead of making separate HTTP requests for each image, the browser loads just one file. CSS then uses background positioning to display the correct part of the sprite for each element on the page.