After completing a XHTML , CSS project , should we try to optimize our code?

Question

After completing a XHTML , CSS project , and Even client is happy, should I try to optimize my HTML, CSS code if there is any scope?

If yes then how to more improve and optimize code and what things can/should be optimized?

Should i optimize to get lowest file size or i should optimize code for better readability?

Answer 1

I'd suggest taking a look at Yahoo! YSlow and Google Page Speed. They'll give you much better performance gain tips than optimising HTML/CSS would.

Answer 2

I think you should consider doing the following, in this order:

1. Performance review: Review how you and your team could have worked better on the project to create a better product faster. Brainstorm areas that were hurdles that could have been avoided, and how to avoid them next time.
2. Security audit: Analyze the system for potential security vulnerabilities. As the saying goes, "100 attaboys are wiped clean by just 1 'oh sh!t'". Security bugs tend to be those kinds of oopsies.
3. Documentation: Provide documentation that a technology team would need to get up to speed on the application when they come in 18 months later to add new features.
4. Professional Development: Go increase your skills in some area so that way you can be as successful in your next project as you were in this project.
5. Go home early: Wii, XBox, fly a kite, grill a burger, do whatever you want and be happy that you did a good job on that project.

Just my $0.02 worth. :-)

Answer 3

In my experience, large "optimizations" after the fact tend cause more harm then good. If the customer is happy, there are no obvious scalability problems, and the code is more or less maintainable, don't worry about it. Also, there is little reason to optimize HTML/CSS for speed as the bottleneck is nearly always in your database connection and total download size on text files is often relatively small anyway. If you REALLY need them to be smaller, look into some automatic compression.

Personally, if I was you, I'd just call it done and walk away.

Answer 4

i would choose readability over file size optimisation to ensure the next person who'll open the HTML/CSS files won't have a bad day.

Answer 5

Depends on how happy the client is I guess, and the likelihood that they will be a return customer, if that is your goal for the project.

If it's neither here nor there, i wouldn't bother. Too much hassle, and there's no reuse. the only exception would be if its obviously bad sql that was hacked together to "make it just work" that are used frequently, or heavy javascript animations, i would move on and start a new project asap after reviewing the success of the one you are about to complete.

If you modify the code - you will need to retest it.

why not spend that time testing in the first place?

You might get more value out of refactoring the code, for your own use (if possible).

If your happy that all the requirements have been met - hand the project over to the client earlier than they expect.