Performance APIs are a Mess

Chrome recently added support for Long Tasks API. Since I have a spec actually named “Long Tasks API 1” I creating pages based on the assumption that this is its own thing, so I gave it its own overview page, and entry in GroupData.json.

In trying to put together sample code, I realized that MDN has performance stuff in multiple places including Performance API and several extensions including Frame Timing and Performance Timeline. These last two and the Long Task are extensions of the Performance API.

The whole collection lacks coherence.

I have a plan to fix this this but want input from the community before I start. Here’s what I want to do.

  • Consolidate navigation: Can I combine the entries in GroupData.json into a single entry or do I need to write a sidebar macro such as service worker has?

  • Make a single overview page: The Performance API overview page really should include all capabilities in much the same way that the service worker landing page currently does.

  • Repurpose other landing pages: The Frame Timing and Performance Timeline overview pages don’t really have overview page content. They’re basically interface pages with incorrect titles and incorrectly formatted content.

There are, I’m sure, many other details I’ll need to work out along the way, but this gives you the gist of what I want to do. I also want to stress that no content will be harmed in the making of this film. Everything that now exists will have a new home.

I think this sounds like a fantastic bit of work Joe, and I approve. Please let me know if you want help or tech reviews.

Thanks for the offer. What I most need now is an answer to the question consolidate GroupData or write a sidebar macro?

Using GroupData is simpler, but more limited, so it might not be suitable for your needs. I’d probably go for writing a new sidebar if I were you.

FYI, I submitted this a few days ago. https://github.com/mozilla/kumascript/pull/229