What you need to know
preconnect can start a connection to a known external origin, preload requests a specific resource early, and prefetch suggests a likely future resource. Each hint affects network priority differently.
How to apply it
Use a hint only when you know which resource is important and the browser would otherwise discover it late. Inspect the network panel to confirm the intended request and priority.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not preload every font, image, and script. Too many high-priority requests compete with one another and may make the page slower.