True, but for apps which are meant to be interactive you also need to take into account SPAs that might make very small requests for a good while once the main bundle has been downloaded.
So, for a world-normal device which one is better? A site that downloads 1MB of Javascript and then makes data requests of a few KBs or a site that makes a 300KB request with a page reload every time you interact with it?
My general rule is that if the application is interactive, meant to be used for long periods of time and SEO is not an issue, well-written SPAs result in better UX.
That's not the case of Reddit for example. Most users spend the most time reading comments, and that requires very little interactivity. So old Reddit is miles ahead of the new slow and bloated one.
I agree fully with you! My point was not that the bundle size matters the most, but rather than everything matters. What matters most depends on your user-base of course. Expensive, professional tools that only works on Mac: fine with high requirements and bandwidth requirements. Free service whos goal is to spread knowledge everywhere in the world: need to think about cheapest devices on the worst networks.
So, for a world-normal device which one is better? A site that downloads 1MB of Javascript and then makes data requests of a few KBs or a site that makes a 300KB request with a page reload every time you interact with it?
My general rule is that if the application is interactive, meant to be used for long periods of time and SEO is not an issue, well-written SPAs result in better UX.
That's not the case of Reddit for example. Most users spend the most time reading comments, and that requires very little interactivity. So old Reddit is miles ahead of the new slow and bloated one.