You might be wondering how rendering icons with JavaScript affects performance. Well you're not the only one. We worried about this while we were developing it and even took some special measures to make sure it was as fast as we could make
it.
Our testing shows that for the typical number of icons most people use on a site, the loading and rendering time for SVG+JS method is faster than Web Fonts.
A Case for SVG Symbols
The case below is a great one for SVG Symbols – there are a bunch of the same icon repeated on the page, so you'll get a big performance boost by loading each of them only once using the step-by-step method below.
We'll define these icons as symbols: pencil, trash, and star.
<!-- Define the symbols, these are invisible on the page --><idata-fa-symbol="delete"class="fas fa-trash fa-fw"></i><idata-fa-symbol="edit"class="fas fa-pencil fa-fw"></i><idata-fa-symbol="favorite"class="fas fa-star fa-fw"></i><!-- Use the defined symbols --><svg><usexlink:href="#edit"></use></svg><svg><usexlink:href="#delete"></use></svg><svg><usexlink:href="#favorite"></use></svg>
Using data-fa-symbol informs Font Awesome SVG with JavaScript to create the symbol. The value of this attribute becomes the name.
<!-- Name symbols with the value of data-fa-symbol --><idata-fa-symbol="picture-taker"class="fas fa-camera"></i><!-- Use the defined name --><svg><usexlink:href="#picture-taker"></use></svg>
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One of the downsides to SVG sprites is that extra styling is necessary to make them behave. When using symbols you will need to handle this yourself.
<!-- A quick, reasonable place to start with styling your symbols --><style>.icon{width: 1em;height: 1em;vertical-align: -.125em;}</style><!-- Name symbols with the value of data-fa-symbol --><idata-fa-symbol="picture-taker"class="fas fa-camera"></i><!-- Use the defined name --><svgclass="icon"><usexlink:href="#picture-taker"></use></svg> Say Cheese!