Google is rolling out a significant enhancement to its user experience evaluation with the introduction of the "Interaction to Next Paint" (INP) metric as part of the Core Web Vitals (CWV) update. This new metric hones in on the critical timeframe between a user's interaction, such as a click or touch, and the subsequent visual update on the webpage.
INP is engineered to provide a more refined and precise measure of the user experience compared to its predecessor, the First Input Delay (FID) metric. To ensure optimal website performance and an exceptional user experience, the target for INP is set at less than 200 milliseconds.
Slower INP scores can be attributed to prolonged CPU processing, which in turn delays visual updates on webpages. INP comprises three key components: Input Delay, Processing Time, and Presentation Delay. Google recommends leveraging tools like the INP Debugger, Chrome DevTools, Lighthouse User Flows, and Real User Monitoring (RUM) to identify and rectify INP-related issues. RUM tools provide real-time insights into user interactions and delays, enabling website owners to make timely enhancements for a smoother user experience.