Optimizing for workload
In this article series, we'll dive into the workload metric and how you can optimize your app to consume less workload while retaining a great user experience.
This article series covers how to work with workload in practice, and tips and tricks to reduce workload consumption. If you'd like to learn more about how the metric works and the different processes that spend workload, you may want to read the article series below first:
Article series: Pricing and workload
This series delves into methods to lower workload consumption. Some sections discuss advanced Bubble techniques. If you're new to Bubble, we suggest familiarizing yourself with the fundamental features before exploring this content.
We especially recommend getting to know the difference between client-side and server-side. We have a separate article covering this topic:
Article: Server-side and client-side
Introduction to workload planning and development
Before we explore methods to optimize workload consumption, it's important to emphasize a point: workload is a resource meant to be used. After all, if your app doesn't spend any server resources, it's hard to do much at all.
Building an app isn't about minimizing workload at all costs, but striking a balance between user experience and resource usage.
Workload is a resource meant to be used. Building an app isn't about minimizing workload at all costs, but striking a balance between user experience and resource usage.
In app development, you'll often face trade-offs. At times, enhancing user experience might increase workload. However, sometimes a minor change in user interaction can conserve workload and aid scalability. It's all about finding the right balance.
Understanding the overall consumption
If you already have your app set up, it's first important to have a look at how the total workload consumption looks in your app. You can use the workload metrics dashboard to see how your app is doing, and what processes are consuming the most workload.
The reason we bring this up, is that it can help you prioritize your work. After all, optimizing for workload is just one of the things you can do in your app. Adding new features, polishing the design and user experience and working with growth can be equally important. Optimizing for workload is not a competition, but a process that should be part of a priority plan along with other development and business goals.
So, as you move forward, consider workload optimization as one piece of a larger puzzle, aiming for a harmonious blend of performance, functionality, and delightful user interactions.
Using the dashboard can give you a general understanding:
How much workload am I currently spending?
Am I overspending the allotted workload in my plan, or am I well within my limit?
If I am overspending, should I consider upgrading my plan or buying workload units, or should I spend time optimizing my app?
How is my growth trajectory, and how will it affect workload consumption in the coming months?
As this illustrates, your dashboard can give you two indications that can help you plan your workload optimization:
What your current consumption looks like
What it will look like in the future, given that you reach a certain growth goal
Not all apps are supposed to grow in users: if you have a commercial app where an increase in number of users is a key metric, your current workload can tell you a lot about what the future will look like: if X number of users spend Y amount of workload today, it's not unreasonable to expect the two metrics to develop fairly linearly.
If you are building a more closed app with a fairly fixed number of users (such as an app for your workplace or another organization), then your current consumption is likely to remain predictable if not constant.
Using this data, you can make a strategic decision. Workload optimization may be worth spending time and resources on if your current consumption or expected growth hinges on it; otherwise, you might decide to concentrate on other pressing priorities.
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