Technical
TechnicalMedium

Render-Blocking Resources

Checks for CSS/JS in the <head> that blocks first paint.

What this check measures

We list every <script> and <link rel="stylesheet"> in <head> without async/defer. Each blocks the browser from painting until loaded and parsed.

Why it matters

Render-blocking resources are the most common LCP killer. 3-5 synchronous third-party scripts in the head can add 2-3 seconds to LCP on mobile.

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How our audit detects it

Parse <head>, find <script> without async/defer and <link rel="stylesheet"> without media=print. Report each.

Typical findings

  • error_outlinejQuery loaded synchronously in head.
  • error_outlineAnalytics script blocking without async.
  • error_outline5 stylesheets loaded synchronously — only critical-path should be.

How to fix

Add `async` to non-critical scripts, `defer` to scripts that must run after parse. For CSS, inline critical CSS and load the rest with `media="print"` + JS swap trick.

Frequently asked questions

async or defer for analytics?expand_more
async for analytics (runs when ready, order not important). defer for scripts that depend on DOM but not on each other.

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