The Web Tracing Framework (WTF) is an open source suite of tools, libraries, and visualizers created by Google to help developers analyze and optimize the performance of complex web applications. By adding lightweight instrumentation to their code, developers can trace execution flow, identify bottlenecks, and detect performance regressions. The framework provides fine-grained insights into application behavior, making it particularly useful for achieving smooth, high-performance experiences, such as maintaining 60fps animations in web interfaces. It includes visualization tools that allow for detailed analysis of timing, resource usage, and event flow, enabling developers to diagnose and fix inefficiencies effectively. While still experimental, WTF is designed to be extensible and community-driven, encouraging contributions and adaptations for various types of web applications.
Features
- Provides detailed tracing and visualization of web app performance
- Helps identify bottlenecks and track performance regressions
- Supports building smoother, high-frame-rate web experiences
- Includes Chrome extension for direct browser integration
- Open source and extensible for customized instrumentation
- Licensed under the BSD license for broad community use and modification