The recent announcement of Google reveals that Google is removing one of the metrics of its Core Web Vitals and is substituting that metric with a new core metric. Google also claims that the new metric gives more accurate results than the older one and represents user experience more effectively.
The new metric of Core Web Vitals that Google is introducing is INP, i.e., Interaction With Next Paint. Google states that instead of an experimental metric, it will be termed as a pending metric. Although INP has shown its ability to replace the FID metric, Google will wait to return it. Instead, in March 2024, it will become a permanent metric of Core Web Vitals.
What Does FID Mean?
FID, abbreviates First Input Delay and is a metric of the Core Web Vitals of Google. It is limited to pointer-down, key-down, clicks, and mouse-down and measures the time a browser takes to process a particular user interaction. For Example, FID counts the time a user takes to click on the button and the time the button takes to respond.
FID is a good metric for measuring user experience and responsiveness of a webpage. However, it needs to be completed as it only measures the delay, i.e., the time the webpage takes to make the interactive element responsive to the user. It does not count the time a website takes to respond to those user interactions. For this, in May 2022, Google released the experimental INP, a pending metric.
Introduction To INP
INP, i.e., Interaction To Next Paint, is the metric that Google replaces with FID. INP is a metric that does not only measure the delay but instead measures the entire page’s responsiveness. Measuring the time a webpage takes to become responsive is an accurate metric.
If a webpage is not responding accurately, it will come under the category of poor INP. For Example, you click on an image, and the image does not open up immediately. Generally, the measurement of INP takes place in milliseconds. If the INP score of your webpage is below 200 milliseconds, it signifies that it is okay. The INP score between 200-500 milliseconds determines that your webpage needs a slight improvement. And if the INP score is above 500 milliseconds, you should look at the responsiveness of your webpage, as it is inferior.
Conclusion
Although INP is currently a pending metric of Core Web Vitals, Google will make it officially a metric of Core Web Vitals by the following year, i.e., May 2024. This metric will boost the user experience and make your website more responsive. So, you must check the INP score of your webpage or website and make desirable changes to it.