Layout thrashing can occur in web development when frequent and unnecessary reflows and repaints happen, impacting performance. Here are some tips to avoid layout thrashing:
| Action | Best Practice |
|---|---|
| Batch DOM Changes | Make DOM changes in a single batch rather than in multiple small increments to reduce layout thrashing. |
| Use Document Fragments | When creating or updating multiple DOM elements, use document fragments to avoid frequent reflows. |
| Avoid Frequent Style Queries | Minimize the use of functions like getComputedStyle inside loops, as they can trigger reflows. |
| Use CSS Transitions/Animations Wisely | Be cautious with transitions/animations, as they can trigger layout thrashing if not used carefully. |
| Optimize CSS Selectors | Efficiently structure your CSS selectors to avoid unnecessary recalculation of styles. |
| Defer Non-Critical JavaScript Execution | Load and execute JavaScript asynchronously, especially non-critical scripts, to avoid blocking rendering. |
| Avoid Forced Synchronous Layouts | Minimize forced synchronous layouts by using methods that don’t require them (e.g., offsetWidth). |
| Use CSS Hardware Acceleration | Offload animations to the GPU using CSS properties like transform to improve performance. |
| Defer JavaScript Execution Until DOM Ready: | Delay the execution of JavaScript until the DOM is fully loaded to minimize layout thrashing. |
| Throttle Event Handlers | Throttle event handlers to prevent frequent layout thrashing, especially for scroll and resize events. |
| Cache Layout Properties | Cache layout properties to avoid repeatedly querying them, reducing the chance of layout thrashing. |
These practices can help minimize layout thrashing and improve the overall performance of web applications.