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Performance fix guide

Slow Time to First Byte (TTFB)

Time to First Byte exceeds 800ms, indicating slow server response. TTFB affects all other performance metrics as a bottleneck.

Issue ID: CWV-TTFB-001
Severity: moderate
Impact: Med
Effort: M

Use this article when

  • You need deeper remediation guidance than the issue card can show.
  • You want CMS-specific steps before handing the fix to a developer.
  • You want a repeatable re-check path after shipping the change.
Re-run full audit

What this issue is

Time to First Byte exceeds 800ms, indicating slow server response. TTFB affects all other performance metrics as a bottleneck.

Why it matters

Time to First Byte exceeds 800ms, indicating slow server response. TTFB affects all other performance metrics as a bottleneck. This affects load speed, Core Web Vitals, and how many visitors stay long enough to convert.

How we detect it

  • FreeSiteAudit flags this issue when the rule for CWV-TTFB-001 fails and the page evidence points to Performance tool.
  • You can usually confirm this by checking the page source or the relevant page settings inside your CMS.

Evidence examples

Check the affected page source, rendered output, or relevant CMS setting to confirm the missing or incorrect element.

How to fix it

  1. 1Optimize server-side processing and database queries
  2. 2Use a CDN to serve content from edge locations
  3. 3Enable server-side caching for dynamic pages
  4. 4Upgrade hosting if resource-constrained

How to re-check it

  • Measure TTFB using WebPageTest or Chrome DevTools and confirm it is under 800ms

Related tools

This issue is best verified with the full FreeSiteAudit crawl rather than a single-point mini tool.