[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #55443: Create WebP sub-sizes and use for output

[WordPress Trac]

#55443: Create WebP sub-sizes and use for output
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 Reporter:  adamsilverstein                      |       Owner:
                                                 |  adamsilverstein
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  6.1
Component:  Media                                |     Version:  6.0
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-unit-tests needs-dev-note        |     Focuses:
  needs-docs needs-user-docs 2nd-opinion needs-  |  performance
  testing changes-requested                      |
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Comment (by eatingrules):

 Replying to [comment:172 flixos90]:
 > **Generating WebP instead of JPEG:**
 > ''(while keeping at least the original JPEG around)''
 >
 > Benefits:
 > * roughly 30% smaller image files (29% if we choose quality 84, 36% if
 we choose quality 82) for ~98% of global users, leading to faster
 performance
 > * reduced filesystem storage needs to ~70% of what it was before
 > * similar resource needs on image upload
 >
 > Tradeoffs:
 > * regression in performance for the remaining ~2% of global users who
 are on old browsers (due to loading a higher resolution JPEG image)
 >

 **You left off this tradeoff with the current plan (Generating WebP
 instead of JPEG) -- which will happen when thumbnails are regenerated:**

 * increased filesystem storage needs to ~170% of what it was before

 Sorry to keep bringing this up, but it seems like some people still don't
 recognize how significant this problem will be.

 @adamsilverstein pointed out that the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin can
 delete old thumbs during the process - and that's potentially a solution,
 ''provided the user knows they should do that.''

 Perhaps user education and other solution(s) for this can be worked into
 the most common tools that regenerate thumbnails, ''before WebP is
 included in Core''?

 (Here's a start to that list: [https://wordpress.org/plugins/regenerate-
 thumbnails/ Regenerate Thumbnails], [https://wordpress.org/plugins
 /regenerate-thumbnails-advanced/ reGenerate Thumbnails Advanced], WP-CLI,
 and WooCommerce.)

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/55443#comment:173>
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