WordPress 6.9 includes so many performance improvements! Scripts with fetchpriority, increased inline CSS, minified theme styles, on demand block styles in classic themes, the template enhancement output buffer, and much more! Check out the field guide I just published:

There were many contributors from the Core Performance Team involved in making this possible. Personally, this is a culmination of a year of work, including a bunch of research and development I wrote about previously and spoke about at WordCamp US:

I’ve been working nights and weekends (and days) to help make sure all of this lands in time for the December 2nd release. This is evident from looking at the “A Month in Core” post for October! It has been fun—feeling like the good ol’ contribution days when I was deep in the Customizer up through WordPress 4.9 (2013–2017). But I’m really looking forward to being able to unwind for the holidays.

I hope your sites get a great speed boost for Christmas! 🎄

Where I’ve shared the field guide: