Dictionary Compression is finally here, and it's ridiculously good
11 hours ago
- #performance
- #web-development
- #compression
- Dictionary compression can drastically reduce web traffic by using pre-shared dictionaries for compression.
- Initial tests show YouTube JS downloads shrinking up to 90% and Google search HTML by nearly 50%.
- Works by referencing a shared dictionary instead of sending duplicate data, ideal for web content.
- Supported in modern browsers and backends like Node.js, Python, Rust, and more.
- Compression dictionary transport standardizes how dictionaries are shared over HTTP.
- Real-world applications include Google, Pinterest, and Shopify, showing significant traffic reductions.
- Custom dictionaries can be built manually or trained using tools like Zstandard.
- Caveats include same-origin restrictions, cache management, and the need for careful testing.