Ship Faster Code, Not Slower Sites

Use AI to automatically monitor performance metrics, run A/B tests between branches, and get actionable optimization suggestions based on real user data from Netlify Analytics
Did You Know? Netlify is more than just static hosting! It offers:This guide shows you how to leverage these features through natural language with Continue CLI!

What You’ll Learn

This cookbook teaches you to:
  • Run A/B tests between branches to measure performance impact
  • Monitor Core Web Vitals and build performance metrics
  • Automatically block deploys that degrade performance using Deploy Contexts
  • Optimize build times with Build Plugins and bundle sizes with AI assistance

Prerequisites

Quick Setup

1

Install Continue CLI

npm i -g @continuedev/cli
2

Configure Netlify MCP

  1. Install Netlify CLI: npm i -g netlify-cli 2. Authenticate with Netlify: netlify login 3. Visit Netlify MCP on Continue Hub 4. Follow the configuration instructions for your editor
3

Add Development Rules

Install the Netlify Development Rules bundle for best practices:
  1. Visit the bundle page on Continue Hub
  2. Click “Install Rules”
  3. Rules automatically apply to your agent
4

Verify Setup

Test the connection with cn CLI:
cn
# Then in TUI mode:
"Check my Netlify auth and list sites"
The Netlify Development Rules bundle includes guardrails for: - Proper .gitignore configuration - Function structure and placement - Edge function constraints - Local development best practices

Performance Optimization Steps

Step 1: Baseline Performance Metrics

Establish your current performance baseline using cn CLI:
# Start cn in TUI mode
cn

# Then ask:
"Show my site's Core Web Vitals and build times"
Test in Plan Mode First: Before making performance optimizations that might affect your site, test your prompts in plan mode (see the Plan Mode Guide; press Shift+Tab to switch modes). This shows you what the agent will do without executing it. For example: "Set up A/B testing between main and feature branch with performance monitoring"
Netlify automatically tracks:
  • Build Performance: Compile times, cache hits
  • Runtime Performance: Core Web Vitals, Time to Interactive
  • Resource Usage: Bandwidth, function execution times

Step 2: A/B Test Branch Performance

Compare performance between branches:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Set up A/B test between main and feature branch on Netlify:
- Split traffic 50/50 between branches
- Track Core Web Vitals for each variant
- Monitor conversion metrics and bounce rate
- Enable analytics to measure performance impact
- Configure cookie-based visitor persistence
- Set test duration for 1000 unique visitors
- Auto-conclude test when statistical significance reached
Report winner based on performance + conversion metrics"
Enhanced Analytics: Combine Netlify’s A/B testing with PostHog session recordings to understand not just which variant performs better, but why users behave differently. See our PostHog session analysis guide to set up session tracking and create a complete continuous AI analytics workflow.

Step 3: Advanced Build Optimization with Netlify

Leverage Netlify’s powerful build features to dramatically reduce build times:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Optimize my Netlify build performance using these features:

1. Enable Netlify Cache Plugin for dependency caching
   - Configure @netlify/plugin-cache for node_modules
   - Set up custom cache directories for .next/cache or .nuxt
   - Enable Gatsby's incremental builds if applicable

2. Set up Build Plugins from Netlify's ecosystem:
   - Install @netlify/plugin-lighthouse for performance monitoring
   - Add netlify-plugin-checklinks to prevent broken links
   - Configure netlify-plugin-submit-sitemap for SEO

3. Implement Conditional Builds:
   - Skip builds when only docs change (ignore: /docs/**)
   - Use build.ignore script for custom logic
   - Set up monorepo-specific build triggers

4. Configure concurrent builds for monorepos
   - Set base directory per package
   - Use pnpm workspaces or yarn workspaces

Show me the netlify.toml configuration and explain each optimization"
Netlify Build Features You’re Getting:These features can reduce build times by 50-70% for most projects!
Discover more optimization prompts! The Netlify community has documented dozens of build optimization strategies in their Support Guide: How can I optimize my Netlify build time.Use this guide as inspiration for cn CLI prompts not covered in this cookbook, such as:
  • "Configure my builds to skip Dependabot PRs automatically"
  • "Set up custom ignore patterns for documentation-only changes"
  • "Optimize my Contentful webhooks to prevent duplicate builds"
  • "Show me how to use build hooks instead of automatic git triggers"
  • "Help me choose between Astro and Hugo based on build performance"
The community guide contains real-world scenarios that you can turn into AI-assisted solutions - just describe what you want to achieve and let cn CLI handle the implementation!

Step 4: Bundle Analysis with Netlify’s Built-in Tools

Use Netlify’s bundle analyzer and optimization features:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Analyze and optimize my bundle using Netlify's tools:

1. Enable Netlify Bundle Analyzer:
   - Add @netlify/plugin-bundle-analyzer to plugins
   - Configure size thresholds in netlify.toml
   - Generate visual bundle reports

2. Set up Asset Optimization:
   - Enable automatic JS minification
   - Configure CSS optimization
   - Turn on HTML minification
   - Set up image processing pipeline

3. Implement Smart Code Splitting:
   - Analyze current chunks with the bundle analyzer
   - Identify components over 50KB for splitting
   - Configure webpack/vite for optimal chunking
   - Set up route-based code splitting

4. Configure Netlify's CDN for optimal delivery:
   - Set cache headers for static assets
   - Enable Brotli compression
   - Configure edge caching rules

Generate a full report with before/after bundle sizes"

Netlify's Performance Arsenal

Features Available Through Netlify MCP:

Step 5: Image Optimization

Optimize images for better performance:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Set up Cloudinary image optimization for my Netlify site:
- Install @cloudinary/netlify-plugin via MCP
- Auto-convert images to WebP with fallbacks
- Generate responsive sizes (320w, 640w, 1024w, 1920w)
- Add lazy loading for all images
- Configure blur-up placeholders
- Update netlify.toml with Cloudinary settings
Target: Reduce image payload by 60-80% and improve LCP"

Continuous Performance Monitoring

Step 6: Performance Budget Enforcement with Lighthouse CI

Set and enforce performance budgets with automated testing:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Set up Lighthouse CI with performance budgets for my Netlify site:

Requirements:
- LCP must be < 2.5 seconds
- JavaScript bundle must be < 200KB
- Total size < 500KB
- Performance score >= 90

Setup needed:
1. Install @lhci/cli and @netlify/plugin-lighthouse
2. Create lighthouserc.js with these budget assertions
3. Configure netlify.toml to run checks on all deploys
4. Add GitHub status checks to block PRs that exceed budgets
5. Create performance dashboard at /lighthouse-reports

Please configure the complete Lighthouse CI setup with these budgets."
This comprehensive setup will automatically test every deploy preview and production deployment, blocking any changes that violate your performance budgets.

Step 7: Real User Monitoring with Netlify Analytics

Leverage Netlify’s built-in analytics and integrate advanced RUM solutions:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Set up comprehensive Real User Monitoring for my Netlify site:

1. Configure Netlify Analytics Pro (requires Pro account):
   - Set up server-side analytics (no JS required)
   - Track Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS, INP)
   - Monitor top pages by performance score
   - Create custom performance alerts
   - Configure weekly performance reports

2. Integrate Web Vitals tracking:
   - Install web-vitals library for detailed metrics
   - Send metrics to Netlify Functions endpoint
   - Store performance data in Netlify Blobs
   - Create performance dashboard at /metrics

3. Set up Performance Alerts:
   - Alert when P75 LCP > 3 seconds
   - Notify if CLS increases by 20%
   - Monitor JavaScript error rates
   - Track 404s and broken resources
   - Send alerts to Slack via Netlify Functions

4. Configure Geographic Performance Monitoring:
   - Use Netlify Edge Functions to track region-specific metrics
   - Identify slow regions with Edge geo data
   - Compare performance across CDN nodes
   - Optimize edge caching for slow regions

5. Create Custom Performance Dashboard:
   - Build dashboard page using Netlify Functions
   - Display real-time Core Web Vitals
   - Show performance trends over time
   - Include browser and device breakdowns

Show me the complete implementation with all code and configurations"
Note: Netlify Analytics Pro requires a paid Netlify Pro account ($19/month per site). The prompt above assumes you have this plan. For free tier users, focus on steps 2-5 which use Netlify Functions and Edge Functions to build custom analytics.
Netlify Analytics Advantages:Unlike Google Analytics, Netlify Analytics:
  • Doesn’t slow down your site (server-side)
  • Captures 100% of traffic (no ad blockers)
  • Respects user privacy (no cookies)
  • Shows bot traffic separately
Pro Tip Combine Netlify Analytics with Edge Functions to create a powerful RUM solution that:
  • Tracks performance by user segment
  • A/B tests performance optimizations
  • Personalizes content based on connection speed
  • Automatically serves lighter assets to slow connections

Automated Performance Checks

GitHub Actions Performance Guard

Block PRs that degrade performance:
name: Performance Check

on:
  pull_request:

jobs:
  performance:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: "22"

      - name: Deploy and Test Performance
        id: perf
        env:
          NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN }}
          NETLIFY_SITE_ID: ${{ secrets.NETLIFY_SITE_ID }}
        run: |
          npx @continuedev/cli@latest << 'EOF'
          Deploy PR preview and run Lighthouse.
          Compare scores with main branch.
          Output JSON with score deltas.
          EOF > performance.json

      - name: Comment Performance Results
        uses: actions/github-script@v7
        with:
          script: |
            const fs = require('fs');
            const perf = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('performance.json'));

            const emoji = perf.score_delta < -10 ? '🔴' :
                         perf.score_delta < 0 ? '🟡' : '🟢';

            const comment = `## ${emoji} Performance Impact

            | Metric | Main | PR | Delta |
            |--------|------|----|---------|
            | Performance Score | ${perf.main_score} | ${perf.pr_score} | ${perf.score_delta > 0 ? '+' : ''}${perf.score_delta} |
            | LCP | ${perf.main_lcp}s | ${perf.pr_lcp}s | ${perf.lcp_delta > 0 ? '+' : ''}${perf.lcp_delta}s |
            | Bundle Size | ${perf.main_bundle}KB | ${perf.pr_bundle}KB | ${perf.bundle_delta > 0 ? '+' : ''}${perf.bundle_delta}KB |

            ${perf.score_delta < -10 ? '⚠️ **This PR significantly degrades performance. Please optimize before merging.**' : ''}

            [View Full Report](${perf.report_url})`;

            github.rest.issues.createComment({
              issue_number: context.issue.number,
              owner: context.repo.owner,
              repo: context.repo.repo,
              body: comment
            });

            // Fail check if performance degrades significantly
            if (perf.score_delta < -10) {
              core.setFailed('Performance degraded by more than 10 points');
            }
This workflow will: - Block merge if performance score drops >10 points - Warn on any performance regression - Celebrate improvements with green indicators

Performance Testing Locally

Step 8: Local Performance Testing

Test performance before deploying:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Run production build and measure bundle sizes"

Step 9: Pre-commit Performance Checks

Prevent performance regressions before they happen:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Add pre-commit hooks for bundle size limits"

Performance Troubleshooting

Debug Performance Issues

Identify and fix performance bottlenecks:
# In cn TUI mode:
"Why did my performance score drop?"

Performance Issue Quick Fixes

IssueQuick Fix Command (in cn TUI)
Slow LCP"Preload critical resources"
High CLS"Add size attributes to images"
Large bundles"Implement code splitting"
Slow builds"Enable build caching"
Poor caching"Configure cache headers"

What You’ve Accomplished

Performance-First Development

You’ve built an AI-powered performance optimization system that:
  • Automatically monitors Core Web Vitals
  • Runs A/B tests between branches
  • Blocks deployments that degrade performance
  • Provides actionable optimization suggestions

Discover Netlify’s Hidden Performance Gems

Features many developers don’t know Netlify offers:

Edge Functions

Netlify Edge Functions
  • Run code at the edge, closer to users
  • Transform responses on-the-fly
  • A/B test at the edge level
  • Personalize content without client-side JS

Netlify Graph

Netlify Graph
  • Unified GraphQL gateway for all your APIs
  • Automatic TypeScript generation
  • Built-in authentication handling
  • Zero client-side API keys needed

On-Demand Builders

On-Demand Builders - Generate pages only when requested - Cache dynamically generated content - Perfect for large sites (10k+ pages) - Reduce build times dramatically

Netlify Functions

Background Functions
  • Run tasks up to 15 minutes
  • Process webhooks asynchronously
  • Handle heavy computations
  • No timeout worries
# Try these advanced features in cn TUI mode:
"Show me how to use Netlify Edge Functions for geo-based personalization"
"Set up On-Demand Builders for my blog with 5000 posts"
"Configure Background Functions for image processing"

Performance Best Practices

The Netlify Performance Rules enforce:

Build Optimization

  • Dependency caching enabled
  • Parallel builds when possible
  • Incremental compilation
  • Smart cache invalidation

Runtime Performance

  • Automatic image optimization
  • Efficient resource hints (preload, prefetch)
  • Optimal cache headers
  • CDN configuration

Monitoring Standards

  • Performance budgets enforced
  • Core Web Vitals tracking
  • Real user monitoring
  • Automated alerts

Advanced Performance Strategies

Progressive Enhancement

# In cn TUI mode:
"Implement progressive enhancement with basic HTML first"

Multi-variant Testing

# In cn TUI mode:
"Test 3 bundle strategies and auto-select winner"

Predictive Prefetching

# In cn TUI mode:
"Analyze navigation patterns and prefetch next pages"

Next Steps

Resources