When Notion went dark on April 16, 2021, users waited patiently. An in-app notification had prepared them for the “scheduled maintenance” and ignited speculation across social media. Many users hoped for the long-awaited API, but most expected subtle performance improvements. When the app returned after just a few minutes, users immediately noticed faster responsiveness.
As with any app, Notion users have a laundry list of requested features, especially the API. However, the most consistent message the team hears from users—directly and in online communities—is frustration with lagging performance. That’s why Notion has dedicated the bulk of its immediate engineering efforts to boosting loading speeds. To the delight of users, that approach was evident following the update on April 16.
In a blog post published a few days later, Notion engineer Matt DuVall offered additional context and detailed the technicalities behind the improvements. Most interestingly, he revealed that performance accelerated by more than 50% across page loading, Quick Find and other elements of the Notion experience.
Vercel CEO Guillermo Rauch was among the many users delighted by the improvement: