Prefetching
Prefetching is a performance optimization technique that involves loading data or resources before they are explicitly requested by a user or application, based on predictions of future needs. It is commonly used in web development, operating systems, and databases to reduce latency and improve responsiveness by anticipating and preparing for upcoming operations. By fetching resources in advance, prefetching can significantly enhance user experience and system efficiency.
Developers should use prefetching when building applications where speed and responsiveness are critical, such as in web pages with predictable user navigation (e.g., e-commerce sites, news articles) or in systems handling large datasets. It is particularly valuable in scenarios with high latency, like network requests or disk I/O, as it can mask delays by preparing data ahead of time, leading to smoother interactions and faster load times.