EXPEDITED SUB-RESOURCE LOADING

Systems, methods, apparatus, and software for pre-fetching and/or pre-loading sub-resources used in rendering HTML files, web pages and the like are provided herein. Implementations include expedited sub-resource loading in which a cache node or other content delivery network component receives a first end user device request seeking a primary resource (e.g., an HTML file). Using information in the first request, the content delivery network pre-fetches one or more identified sub-resources (e.g., JavaScript code) required for rendering of the HTML file. Pre-fetched sub-resources are held by the cache node. During parsing of the HTML file by the end user device, a web browser or other application requires the sub-resource(s) and the end user device thus sends a second request to the cache node asking for the required sub-resource(s). The cache node sends the requested, pre-fetched sub-resource(s).