Lazy Loading Images and Iframes with the Intersection Observer API
Aug 01, 2025 am 06:27 AMUse the Intersection Observer API to efficiently implement lazy loading of images and iframes, significantly improving page performance. 1. Use the data-src attribute to mark elements that need to be loaded lazy to avoid initial loading; 2. Create an Intersection Observer instance, set the preload distance through rootMargin, and define the trigger ratio; 3. Detect element visibility in the callback, assign data-src to src to load content, and stop observing the element; 4. You can add CSS transitions to achieve smooth fade-in effect; 5. For unsupported browsers, you can use polyfill or fallback scheme. This method does not require scrolling monitoring and has excellent performance. It is recommended to be widely used in modern web pages.
Lazy loading images and iframes can significantly improve page performance by deferring the loading of off-screen content until it's about to enter the viewport. One of the most efficient and modern ways to implement this is using the Intersection Observer API , which eliminates the need for scroll event listeners and getBoundingClientRect()
calls that can hurt performance.
Here's how you can use the Intersection Observer API to lazy load images and iframes.
How Intersection Observer Works
Instead of constantly checking an element's position during scroll (which can trigger expensive reflows), the Intersection Observer asynchronously notifies you when an observed element interacts with the viewport (or a container). This makes it ideal for lazy loading.
You define a callback that runs when visibility changes, and configure thresholds (eg, trigger when 10% of the element is visible).
Step 1: Mark Elements for Lazy Loading
Use data-src
(or data-srcset
for responsive images) to hold the real image or iframe URL. The browser won't load it until you assign it to src
.
<!-- Lazy image --> <img class="lazy lazy" src="/static/imghw/default1.png" data-src="image.jpg" data- alt="A lazy-loaded image" > <!-- Lazy iframe --> <iframe data-src="https://example.com/embed" class="lazy-iframe" frameborder="0" >/iframe>
Step 2: Set Up the Intersection Observer
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function () { const lazyImages = document.querySelectorAll("img.lazy"); const lazyIframes = document.querySelectorAll("iframe.lazy-iframe"); const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { entries.forEach(entry => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const element = entry.target; if (element.tagName === "IMG") { // Handle image if (element.dataset.src) { element.src = element.dataset.src; element.classList.remove("lazy"); observer.unobserve(element); } } if (element.tagName === "IFRAME") { // Handle iframe if (element.dataset.src) { element.src = element.dataset.src; element.classList.remove("lazy-iframe"); observer.unobserve(element); } } } }); }, { rootMargin: "50px", // Start loading 50px before entering viewport threshold: 0.01 // Trigger when even 1% is visible }); // Observe all lazy elements lazyImages.forEach(img => observer.observe(img)); lazyIframes.forEach(iframe => observer.observe(iframe)); });
Key Benefits and Tips
- Performance : No scroll event listeners, so no jank.
- rootMargin : Use it to preload content slightly before it appears (eg,
50px
ahead). - Threshold : Lower values (like
0.01
) means early triggering; higher values (like1.0
) wait until fully in view. - Remove observer : Once the
src
is set, unobserve the element to stop tracking.
Optional: Add Placeholder or Fade-In Effect
You can enhance UX by adding a low-quality placeholder or a fade-in transition:
img.lazy { opacity: 0; transition: opacity 0.4s; } img:not(.lazy) { opacity: 1; }
Now images will smoothly fade in after loading.
Browser Support & Fallback
Most modern browsers support Intersection Observer. For older ones (like IE), consider using a polyfill or fall back to scroll-based detection.
Alternatively, use the native loading="lazy"
attribute for images and iframes — but note it doesn't work in all contexts or for dynamic iframes:
<img src="/static/imghw/default1.png" data-src="image.jpg" class="lazy" loading="lazy" alt="Lazy Loading Images and Iframes with the Intersection Observer API"> <iframe src="https://example.com/embed" loading="lazy"></iframe>
However, Intersection Observer gives you more control , especially for complex layouts or when you need to handle custom logic.
Basically, using the Intersection Observer API is a clean, performant way to lazy load media. It's widely supported, easy to implement, and scales well across large pages.
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