TMO Quick Tip - Safari 3.1: Network Timeline

by , 7:30 AM EDT, March 26th, 2008

Keeping tabs on exactly what happens every time you load a new Web page can be a daunting task. Safari 3.1, however, sports a new feature called Network Timeline that does a great job of keeping track of those behind the scenes scripts, images, and style sheets for you.

There's more to a Web site than what you see.

To take advantage of Network Timeline, you first need to enable Safari's Develop menu. If you aren't sure how to do that, there is a Quick Tip that takes you step-by-step through the process.

To view the Network Timeline in Safari 3.1, choose Develop > Show Network Timeline.

Use the Develop menu to enable Network Timeline.

Network Timeline shows every document loaded from a Web site, how long each site component took to load, every style sheet, every image, and all of the scripts associated with a site. You can also select an item in the left column to view the associated image or code.

Network Timeline goes behind the scenes in Safari.

Network Timeline is a great resource for Web coders looking for problems with their sites, or for ways to improve site efficiency, but it is also handy for anyone that wants to know exactly what is going on behind the scenes when after they click on a URL.

Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

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