Lazy loading defers image loading until they enter the viewport, dramatically improving initial page load times and reducing bandwidth consumption for users. As the creator of CoreUI, a widely used open-source UI library, I’ve implemented lazy loading in media-heavy applications throughout my 12 years of frontend development since 2014. The most efficient approach is combining native HTML loading=‘lazy’ attribute with Intersection Observer API for browsers that need polyfill support. This method provides optimal performance, progressive enhancement, and graceful degradation across different browser capabilities.

Optimizing images in React applications reduces load times and improves performance through lazy loading, responsive images, and modern formats. With over 12 years of React experience since 2014 and as the creator of CoreUI, I’ve optimized images in numerous production applications. Image optimization includes lazy loading, responsive images with srcset, modern formats like WebP and AVIF, and proper compression strategies. This approach significantly reduces bundle size and improves perceived performance with faster initial page loads.