This tip was printed from the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help and Tips website at http://malektips.com.

Web Development - Images and Backgrounds - Why Standardize on Graphics?

There are a couple of reasons why it is recommended to use some of the same graphics on all of the pages on your website.

First off, using the same set of graphics creates page conformity, making it easier for people to navigate your site. Plus, the conformity helps build a recognizable 'theme.'

Using the same graphics lowers the amount of hard drive space needed to host a website. If you are limited by space, this can be very important.

When your browser loads graphics, it usually places copies of such graphics in a memory or disk-based cache. That way, the graphics can be accessed quicker if they are needed again; instead of re-pulling the graphics from the net, the browser just has to pull the graphics from the cache. By utilizing this feature, when you use the same graphics on multiple pages, you maximize the cache usage and minimize load times for successive pages.

If you have to pay for your webspace bandwidth after a certain amount, the less bandwidth used, the less your cost, correct? When you utilize the clients' caches by reusing the same graphics, you reduce the amount of bandwidth required for people to see your website.