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From Slow to Fast: How I Audit and Optimize Next.js Websites
Not every website needs a complete rebuild.
Recently, I audited a fitness platform built with Next.js. At first glance, everything looked polished, but a deeper technical review revealed several issues affecting speed, user experience, and search performance.
What I found
Homepage payload of over 3.3 MB
Oversized images slowing down page loads
Unused CSS and JavaScript increasing bundle size
Poor Core Web Vitals, including high layout shift (CLS)
Render-blocking resources delaying the first paint
Accessibility issues affecting screen readers
Runtime console errors that could lead to inconsistent behavior
My approach
Instead of suggesting a rebuild, I focused on optimization.
The audit included:
✅ Performance analysis
✅ Core Web Vitals review
✅ Accessibility audit
✅ UI/UX improvements
✅ Runtime debugging
✅ Technical SEO review
✅ Next.js best practices
The goal was to improve loading speed, create a smoother experience across devices, and make the codebase easier to maintain without disrupting the existing functionality.
Why this matters
A faster website doesn't just feel better it can improve search rankings, reduce bounce rates, increase conversions, and make future updates much easier.
Sometimes the biggest gains come from refining what's already there rather than starting over.
If you have a Next.js, React, or modern web application that feels slow or isn't performing as expected, I'd be happy to review it and point you in the right direction.
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Most companies need a great website fast.
The problem is, "fast" usually means cutting corners.
I don't.
Here's how I build and launch a website in one week without sacrificing quality.
I only take on one project at a time. If it's your week, you have my full attention. That focus keeps everything moving.
Before I start building, I gather every asset, piece of copy, and reference I'll need. We align on the direction early with moodboards and inspiration, so there are no surprises halfway through.
I also build directly in Framer from day one. Clients actually really love seeing their live website immediately. They can click through it, experience it, and leave feedback on something that already feels real. It also removes the extra design to development handoff that often adds days or even weeks.
After launch, I stick around for another week to make sure everything runs smoothly and fix any small issues.
A clear process creates room for better design.
And that's where I spend my time. Crafting the details, polishing interactions, and making the website feel like a product, not just a collection of pages.
Having a clear process for sure makes room for better design. What you wrote really resonates with me Natália.
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After hours of debugging, I discovered the real issue wasn't Cursor AI—it was conflicting TypeScript types, broken imports, and outdated API logic. Refactored the React & Next.js codebase, cleaned up the architecture, and turned an unstable AI-generated project into a fast, production-ready web application.
Most developers stop after building the app.
I enjoy building the tools that make developers faster.
Today I'm working on my custom Developer CLI to automate repetitive tasks and streamline my workflow.
If you could add one feature to your dream developer CLI, what would it be?
👇 I'm curious to hear your ideas.
The dream feature is usually context memory a CLI that remembers what you were doing across sessions instead of starting fresh every time. the repetitive tasks are annoying but re-establishing context after a break is the real time sink