To retrieve data or content in advance of its actual need or request, typically to improve performance and reduce loading times. This proactive fetching anticipates future requirements, such as loading images, videos, or data that a user is likely to access next. The process is commonly employed in web browsers, mobile apps, and operating systems to ensure a smoother user experience by minimizing delays caused by slow network connections or processing bottlenecks. This often occurs 'behind the scenes', not directly perceptible by the end user.
Prefetched meaning with examples
- The web browser prefetches links on a webpage, analyzing the user's mouse movements to anticipate which links are likely to be clicked. When a user eventually clicks a pre-fetched link, the associated webpage appears almost instantly, creating a seamless browsing experience. This technique drastically improves load times when navigating, significantly reducing the perception of lag.
- A mobile news application prefetches the next few articles a user is likely to read. It continuously loads images and content in the background, which leads to faster access to the content and a reduced sense of delay for users when they swipe between articles, improving user experience and enhancing content availability.
- Modern operating systems prefetch frequently used application files and libraries into system memory (RAM) to reduce disk access times. This results in faster application startup and a more responsive system, allowing for rapid access of applications for quicker task completion and smoother performance.
- In a game, the engine prefetches character models and textures for areas the player hasn't yet reached but might soon explore, and ensures smooth transitions as the player moves through the game world. This ensures they have the necessary resources ready, maintaining a constant and fluid framerate and optimal playability.