CSS and JS loading WAY too slow!!

[Kayvon]

Just installed a brand new Magento 2.1 with a custom theme slightly edited from the Luma theme. It's up and running but extremely slow to load the css and js before the page renders. If someone could take a look and give some feedback would be huge! 

Website is http://www.aesmark.com/shop

Thanks so much!

[Pektsekye]

Hello,

Try to go to:

Stores -> Configuration ->Advanced -> Developer

and enable:

Merge JavaScript Files -yes

Enable JavaScript Bundling - yes

You will need to delete static files:

rm -rf pub/static/frontend/ pub/static/adminhtml/ pub/static/_requirejs/

then create new static files:

bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy

PS: I don't know if it works for .less files like

http://www.aesmark.com/shop/pub/static/version1487878321/frontend/epicenter/epitheme/en_US/css/sourc...

Stanislav

[Pektsekye]

I forgot to say that you should set Magento to production mode

by adding into .htaccess file:

SetEnv MAGE_MODE production

or with SSH:

magento deploy:mode:set production

Stanislav

[Pektsekye · Accepted solution]

And try to change the LESS compilation mode to server-side under:

STORES > Configuration > ADVANCED > Developer > Front-end development workflow > Workflow type

Stanislav

[Finestshops]

great tips from Stanislav.

also, try setting up your server to HTTP/2 protocol with ALPN support.

We are switching most of our clients to that configuration and many of them see 30-60% cut in page load time while having all pages in the store loading from HTTPs (almost a must now after the recent updates in how the browsers show a warning on all unsecured sites and stores).

[robfico]

Also, make sure merging CSS is *disabled* as there is a bug that makes page loads very slow when this is enabled:

https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/4321

[Kayvon]

Thank you all for the the input! Ultimately switching back to Server side less compilation and redeploying into production mode got the site back to speed! Thank you thank you!