Whether you are a small business owner, a CEO, or an employee, there is a necessity for customized Glide apps in today’s world. With the global app market worth roughly $935 billion as of 2024, it is no surprise that more than just customization is needed. You see, the world we live in is based on speed.
The faster you can produce a product or a service, the more likely you will succeed. In a world where speed and ease-of-use are at the top of the pyramid of: “Things to work on,” it is not solely the ability to create a Glide app. Rather, it is beneficial knowing how to improve the speed it takes to load.
Enter TemPro Glide Apps
The fact is, nobody wants to wait for the dispersion of useful software, nor does a user want to wait more than 3 seconds for it to load. Whether you are trying to develop a new system for your team, your clients, or even yourself, increasing speed is imperative. A slow app frustrates users, reduces the ability to maximize results, and hinders collaboration. Fortunately, you have control over performance.
We offer everything from CRMs for eCommerce, and CRM for enterprises.
A Rather Technical Guide
We will warn you that this is a rather technical guide to improving your TemPro Glide apps, but intertwined in this are more than just tips. We will discuss why these facets matter. You need to understand how to increase the speed of your Glide apps, as life does not wait for those lagging behind.
89% of business owners believe that customized solutions for budgeting, time management, and customer relationship tracking are not just a desire; they are a necessity. However, only a handful know how to develop said solutions. So, in this article, we will walk you through the steps that will allow your Glide apps to run faster and smoother, improving the user experience.
1. Use Glide Tables Instead Of External Data Sources
Whenever possible, choose Glide Tables over Google Sheets or Airtable. External data sources require extra processing power, which slows down your app. Glide Tables load instantly, reducing wait times and improving responsiveness. This is helpful when considering load time. Below is an example:
If you must use external sources, connect them via a Glide API rather than Google Sheets or Airtable’s APIs to minimize delays. This produces faster results, which only improves your productivity. If you are unfamiliar with APIs, think of it this way: when you are designing a Glide app, there is more to it than just a frontend. There are two sides: the client side and the server side.
APIs connect the two, allowing for better performance. If you use Google Sheets’ API system, you are still relying on manual data to be integrated, and this can cause a breakdown in speed. Rely on the Glide API and you will see much better results, and is a great option for CRMs for marketing agencies.
2. Optimize Queries: Use Relations Instead
Queries can be a major bottleneck. Instead of running queries on entire datasets, create relations first and then filter data. This speeds up performance and prevents unnecessary processing. The best approach is to first create a relation, i.e. “show all products in the ‘Accessories’ category”, and then to filter that relation, i.e. “find products with inventory = 0.”
Best Approach:
- First, create a relation (e.g., show all products in the “Accessories” category).
- Then, filter that relation (e.g., find products with inventory = 0).
Worst Approach:
If you run a query directly on a large dataset, it can slow down or even crash your app.
3. Compress Images Before Uploading
Large images slow down loading times. Keep images under 1,500px and compress them before uploading. A list of the best image compression platforms can be found here. However, you may not need to use it. Glide’s built-in solution uses the Image Editor’s Optimize Image action to automatically compress images and store optimized versions in Glide storage.
For the best results, use TinyPNG or utilize Figma/Adobe export settings for manual compression.
If you need high-resolution images, use what is called an “Open Link” action to display them in a separate tab rather than embedding them. You can check out the below video, which outlines how to use the “Image Editor” option for the best results.
4. Remove Unnecessary Components And Pages
Too many components and large datasets slow down performance. You can reduce app complexity by keeping only the required components for each user, or by utilizing “pagination,” filters, and search bars rather than large lists. Lastly, you can avoid unnecessary visibility conditions, where the hidden component will still load in the background. This improves performance and speed.
There is more to it than just faster processing time. Our attention spans have dropped to 8.25 seconds, and the slower your app loads, the less likely someone will wait around for it. Bounce rates, or the number of users who visit an app or a website and leave immediately, have increased tenfold. Most will only wait a few seconds for something to load before leaving. A clean interface also improves the user’s ability to navigate properly. Too many buttons or calls-to-actions can confuse or even turn off a user.
We have one last tip, and it is a great one!
5. Separate Apps for Different User Roles
Instead of cramming everything into one segment, split your apps by user type (i.e. Admin, Employees, Customers, and so on). Use “Row Owners” to reduce the amount of data that loads per user, minimize hidden elements that will only slow down performance, and make sure the user experience is exceptional.
Remember to keep things simple on the front end. Here are a few examples:
Example:
- Customers see completed tasks only.
- Employees see active tasks and their status.
- Admins get full access to all data and controls.
By structuring your apps this way, each user gets a faster, smoother experience without unnecessary bloat. Many fail to understand the value of a good UX. 40% of users will drop off of your app (or website, or platform) if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load (all the more reason to compress images and use the proper API). Among many statistics we could list, the fact is that your user experience (UX) is important not only for the performance of your Glide app; it helps users work with the interface more intuitively.
Bonus: Improve UI/UX for a Faster Feel
Speed isn’t just about load times – it’s also about perception. This is a psychological factor: perceived speed in the academic world refers to how fast a variable is reacted to versus how long it really takes. In UI/UX terms, there are a few ways to keep users on the screen while waiting for it to load.
TemPro recommends adding loading animations (i.e. an animated bar that shows how much longer it will take for the app to load) can provide higher retention. According to Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah, people are more likely to tolerate waiting if they are aware that indeed, the app or website will load shortly.
For long actions, consider adding a “Wait Until Condition” step before showing results. This prevents users from repeatedly refreshing or assuming your app is unresponsive, which only causes frustration and a bad user experience. See the below video that will guide you through using a Loading Indicator. Enjoy!
Final Thoughts: Make Your Apps Faster & More Efficient
We hope this has been a beneficial read. TemPro Glide apps are fast, intuitive, and powerful. With the above concepts in mind, you can build a better user experience and, as always, our templates can be customized to meet your needs. If you need help, our Glide Experts can assist with optimizing your current system or building your app from scratch.
Start optimizing today and experience the difference a fast Glide app can make!
