I think bloat could be prevented if it was noticed the moment it is introduced. After application evolves bloated, it's difficult to go back and un-bloat it.

I think bloat could be prevented if it was noticed the moment it is introduced. After application evolves bloated, it's difficult to go back and un-bloat it. Bloat is often introduced accidential/y, without need, and unnoticed just because developers test on modern and powerful devices. If developer's regular test matrix included a device with minimal hardware pewer that was known to run the product smoothly in the past, the dev could immediately notice the newly introduced bloat and remove it. A bloat regression testing. I call this "ecological development". We should all do this. No need to aim for devices that already have trouble running your app / website. But take a device that works today and test that you do not degrade with respect to this device.