Performance / Quiz

Where Did the Latency Go?

TTFB vs render, Server-Timing, RUM vs lab, and attributing a slow page to the tier that actually owns it.

Difficulty
Easy
Format
Quiz
Points
100
Estimate
8 min

// MISSION BRIEF

Your Mission

"The page is slow" is a symptom, not a diagnosis. This quiz is about splitting perceived latency across tiers: what TTFB tells you, what the frontend owns, how Server-Timing and RUM help you attribute the delay, and why backend caching cannot fix a frontend problem.

// FIRST CONTACT

Battle teaser

A page feels slow but backend p95 is 120ms. The next place to look:

  1. AThe frontend: render-blocking JS/CSS, hydration, large assets; backend speed is only part of perceived load time
  2. BAdd more backend servers
  3. CThe database indexes, always
  4. DNothing, 120ms means the page is fast
Answers, scoring, hints, and the full battle stay sealed.

// SKILL TAGS

performancefrontendttfbrum