Google gives devs a way to prove they can build fast mobile sites
It's yet another way Google is trying to speed up the mobile web.
Google hasn't been shy about promoting its vision of faster mobile web browsing. The company's Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) project is focused entirely on developing "light-weight" mobile sites that load more quickly on phones and tablets. Now, it's giving developers a way to show off their efficient design skills with the Google Mobile Sites certification. After reading up on the company's design guidelines and passing an exam, devs will snag a certification on their Google Partners profile.
"Through codifying best practice in mobile site development, we hope to improve the general standard of mobile design and speed, and make it easier to find the best talent," wrote Chris Hohorst, Google's head of mobile site transformation, in a blog post today.
Sure, it's just a small certification, but it'll make it easier for potential clients to find developers who can build them AMP-ready sites. While AMP has earned its fair share of criticism -- to some, it seems like Google is trying to obfuscate where articles really come from with its own links -- the company has been slowly addressing complaints. For example, it recently added the ability to share original URLs instead of needlessly hiding them.
