Hi Chris,
I’m not using any optimization plugins.
I’m trying to create a lean site without too many plugins.
If you’re concerned about bloat, well-coded optimization plugins shouldn’t be an issue.
And you only need 1 plugin for this. Most users use Autoptimize, WP Rocket and Litespeed Cache.
When I do add optimization plugins, my site actually gets slower.
It’s a matter of tweaking settings to get the best result.
Things like Critical CSS may cause CLS but with the right setting, it does wonders to site performance. Site performance optimization is a painstaking task. To get the best result, it requires a fine-tuning.