Do not apply unconditional lazy loading to generated Figma images

[chubes4]

Problem

figma-transformer unconditionally emits loading="lazy" on every semantic image. This includes above-the-fold brand marks, navigation logos, hero media, and every below-fold content image.

In the Fisiostetic generated HTML browser artifact, all image files are present and valid, but the deterministic full-page source screenshot renders the logo, hero, service cards, supporting media, and map as empty/alt-text boxes. The WordPress candidate materializes the same assets and shows them, which makes the comparison misleading and hides source-side layout defects.

Lazy-loading policy is not represented by Figma design data. Applying it globally is an inferred performance decision rather than visual artifact generation.

Expected behavior

Generated HTML renders all image-backed Figma nodes deterministically by default. Loading policy is absent unless supplied through an explicit caller policy with enough layout/runtime context to classify images safely.

Acceptance criteria

• Semantic Figma image nodes no longer receive unconditional loading="lazy".
• Existing decoding="async", source paths, crop metadata, alt text, and dimensions remain stable.
• A focused contract covers the default deterministic image-loading behavior.
• Fisiostetic source browser evidence shows the logo, hero, service cards, supporting media, and map.
• The transform still reports zero missing assets and zero vector placeholders.
• The downstream WordPress matrix remains 100% native and editor-valid.

Evidence

Current emitter: figma-transformer/src/Html/StaticHtmlEmitter.php, where imageElementAttributes() always appends loading="lazy" decoding="async".

The Fisiostetic source capture reports 26 image resources but visually contains blank image boxes; corresponding binary assets decode correctly and are successfully materialized downstream.

AI assistance

• AI assistance: Yes
• Tool: OpenCode with OpenAI GPT-5.6 Sol
• Used for: Compared source/candidate/diff artifacts, traced semantic image emission, and drafted this report under Chris Huber direction.

[chubes4]

Correction from the first controlled rerun: removing loading="lazy" produced an identical source screenshot and identical 19.58% matrix result. The lazy-loading hypothesis is disproven and that candidate was reverted without commit.

All generated image binaries remain valid, transform metrics report zero missing assets, and WP Codebox capture diagnostics report 26/26 source images loaded with zero failures, yet the source screenshot still paints alt text/blank boxes while the WordPress candidate paints the same assets. The next probe is isolating generated HTML in a normal browser and recording currentSrc, complete, naturalWidth, and response behavior to determine whether ownership is Figma artifact emission or the source-preview runtime.

Issue acceptance should not be considered satisfied by removing lazy loading.

[chubes4]

Further isolation confirms this is not a Figma artifact-emission defect. The same generated Fisiostetic HTML/CSS/assets render all 11 raster images in ordinary Playwright Chromium; every image returns HTTP 200 with the correct MIME type and nonzero intrinsic dimensions.

The exact WP Codebox Lab summary reports 26 source images total, 15 loaded, and 11 failed. Those 11 failures are exactly the 11 local Figma PNG/JPEG assets. WP Codebox records all assets as staged-file mounts under the expected WordPress uploads paths, but they are not browser-readable through the preview used for source capture.

Upstream repair is tracked at Automattic/wp-codebox#1935. The current Blocks Engine branch remains clean; no lazy-loading or Figma workaround should land.

[chubes4]

Upstream repair is implemented in Automattic/wp-codebox#1939 and verified against Fisiostetic in Linux Lab.

Patched result:

• source images: 26/26 loaded, 0 failed
• candidate images: 17/17 loaded, 0 failed
• both captures ready/high confidence
• mismatch improved from 19.58% (1377921/7036160) to 11.90% (837041/7036160) without Blocks Engine or SSI changes

The Figma lazy-loading hypothesis remains disproven. Remaining mismatch is real geometry/content parity work.