Under what conditions is "Visually complete" calculated?

"Visually complete" is a metric used to determine when the visual rendering of a webpage is complete and appears fully loaded from the user's perspective. It is specifically calculated when an apparent element on the page changes. This means that the metric takes into account the moment when significant visual updates occur, such as images, text blocks, or other elements that are important for user interaction being rendered on the screen.

This focus on visual changes is crucial because it aligns closely with user experience; users typically gauge a webpage's load time based on visual feedback. The moment of change signifies that the user can interact with and perceive the content, marking the point at which the page is considered "visually complete," even if additional resources are still loading in the background.

In contrast, the other options do not encapsulate the essence of what "visually complete" represents. For instance, a page refresh may indeed trigger a visual process but does not define the metric itself. Similarly, establishing a database connection is an early backend process that does not reflect visual readiness. The loading of the first image may affect visual perception but does not encompass the whole aspect of visual completeness. Thus, the appropriate context for calculating "visually complete" revolves around significant changes in the visual elements