How do I set up PWMetrics to send results to Google Sheets?

You need to create a Google Developer project, obtain OAuth credentials, and configure the spreadsheet ID and client secret in the pwmetrics config file, as detailed in the 'Defining submit' section of the README. It involves copying a template spreadsheet and setting up API access.

Should I use PWMetrics or Lighthouse CI for performance testing?

The author recommends Lighthouse CI for better support and features, as PWMetrics is deprecated. Lighthouse CI offers more active development, native CI integrations, and advanced capabilities, making it the better choice for new projects.

How can I run PWMetrics in a headless server environment?

Use the --chromeFlags option with '--headless' in the CLI or set it in the configuration flags to run Chrome without a GUI. This allows PWMetrics to execute in automated CI/CD servers without a display.

What are the default performance metrics measured by PWMetrics?

It focuses on key user-centric metrics including First Contentful Paint, Largest Contentful Paint, Time to Interactive, Speed Index, and Total Blocking Time, as defined in the metrics object in the lib directory.

Can I integrate PWMetrics with GitHub Actions easily?

Not directly; the README suggests using Lighthouse CI Action for seamless integration. PWMetrics requires manual scripting in GitHub Actions, whereas Lighthouse CI Action provides pre-built workflows and better support.

How do I assert performance budgets with PWMetrics in CI?

Define expectations in the config file with warn and error thresholds for specific metrics, then use the --expectations and --fail-on-error flags to fail the build if thresholds are exceeded, enabling automated compliance checks.

Open-Awesome

Progressive Web Metrics

Apache-2.0TypeScriptv4.2.3

A CLI tool and library for gathering performance metrics via Lighthouse, with features for CI and result tracking.

GitHub

1.2k stars69 forks0 contributors

What is Progressive Web Metrics?

PWMetrics is a command-line tool and Node.js library for gathering and analyzing web performance metrics using Google Lighthouse. It solves the problem of automating performance testing by providing features like multi-run median calculation, CI-friendly assertions, and integration with Google Sheets for result tracking.

Target Audience

Web developers and performance engineers who need to automate performance testing, integrate metrics into CI/CD pipelines, or track performance trends over time.

Value Proposition

Developers choose PWMetrics for its straightforward automation of Lighthouse metrics, its focus on median-run reporting for stability, and its built-in integrations for result submission and trace management, which streamline performance monitoring workflows.

Overview

Progressive web metrics at your fingertipz

Use Cases

Best For

Automating Lighthouse performance tests in CI/CD pipelines
Tracking core web vitals over time via Google Sheets integration
Running multiple Lighthouse iterations to get median performance values
Asserting performance budgets in automated testing
Storing and sharing Lighthouse trace files for debugging
Integrating performance metrics into gulp or other build systems

Not Ideal For

New projects requiring active maintenance and up-to-date Lighthouse features
Teams needing seamless, native CI integrations with platforms like GitHub Actions
Organizations with security policies that prohibit using deprecated dependencies

Pros & Cons

Pros

Multi-Run Median Analysis

Executes multiple Lighthouse runs and reports the median, reducing variance in performance data, as demonstrated by the --runs flag for more reliable metrics.

CI Integration with Assertions

Supports expectations and fail-on-error flags for automated performance testing in CI pipelines, allowing teams to enforce performance budgets directly from the CLI.

Google Sheets Tracking

Can submit results directly to Google Sheets for longitudinal tracking, with configurable options for spreadsheet IDs and median-only uploads, as shown in the sheets configuration.

Trace Upload and Viewing

Uploads Lighthouse traces to Google Drive and provides links to view them in Chrome DevTools Timeline Viewer, aiding in debugging performance issues with shared traces.

Cons

Deprecated and Unmaintained

The README explicitly states it's deprecated in favor of Lighthouse CI, meaning no updates, bug fixes, or official support, which poses risks for production use.

Complex Google API Setup

Integrating with Google Sheets and Drive requires cumbersome OAuth credential management and client secret configuration, adding significant setup overhead.

Limited Metric Flexibility

Focuses on a fixed set of core metrics (e.g., FCP, LCP, TTI) and may not support newer Lighthouse metrics without code changes, as indicated by the static metrics object.

Vendor Lock-in for Data

Heavily relies on Google services for data storage and trace management, making it difficult to switch to alternative platforms or self-hosted solutions.

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