Defer status taskbar asset rendering

functions/private/Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+function Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets {
+    param(
+        [bool]$IncludeLogo = $true,
+        [bool]$IncludeStatusAssets = $true
+    )
+
+    if ($IncludeLogo -and -not $sync["logorender"]) {
+        $sync["logorender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "Logo" -Size 90 -Render)
+        Write-WinUtilPerformanceCheckpoint -Name "Taskbar logo asset rendered"
+    }
+
+    if ($IncludeStatusAssets -and -not $sync["checkmarkrender"]) {
+        $sync["checkmarkrender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "checkmark" -Size 512 -Render)
+        Write-WinUtilPerformanceCheckpoint -Name "Taskbar checkmark asset rendered"
+    }
+
+    if ($IncludeStatusAssets -and -not $sync["warningrender"]) {
+        $sync["warningrender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "warning" -Size 512 -Render)
+        Write-WinUtilPerformanceCheckpoint -Name "Taskbar warning asset rendered"
+    }
+}

functions/private/Invoke-WinUtilAssets.ps1

@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@ function Invoke-WinUtilAssets {
       [switch]$render
   )
 
+  if ($render -and $null -ne $sync) {
+      if ($null -eq $sync.RenderedAssetCache) {
+          $sync.RenderedAssetCache = @{}
+      }
+
+      $cacheKey = "$(([string]$type).ToLowerInvariant())|$Size"
+      if ($sync.RenderedAssetCache.ContainsKey($cacheKey)) {
+          return $sync.RenderedAssetCache[$cacheKey]
+      }
+  }
+
   # Create the Viewbox and set its size
   $LogoViewbox = New-Object Windows.Controls.Viewbox
   $LogoViewbox.Width = $Size
@@ -191,6 +202,13 @@ C 21.36,47.14 28.67,50.71 30.01,52.63
       $bitmapImage.StreamSource = $imageStream
       $bitmapImage.CacheOption = [Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapCacheOption]::OnLoad
       $bitmapImage.EndInit()
+      if ($bitmapImage.CanFreeze) {
+          $bitmapImage.Freeze()
+      }
+
+      if ($null -ne $sync -and $sync.ContainsKey("RenderedAssetCache")) {
+          $sync.RenderedAssetCache[$cacheKey] = $bitmapImage
+      }
 
       return $bitmapImage
   } else {

functions/private/Set-WinUtilTaskbarItem.ps1

@@ -61,12 +61,21 @@ function Set-WinUtilTaskbaritem {
     if ($overlay) {
         switch ($overlay) {
             'logo' {
+                if (-not $sync["logorender"]) {
+                    Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo $true -IncludeStatusAssets $false
+                }
                 $sync["Form"].taskbarItemInfo.Overlay = $sync["logorender"]
             }
             'checkmark' {
+                if (-not $sync["checkmarkrender"]) {
+                    Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo $false -IncludeStatusAssets $true
+                }
                 $sync["Form"].taskbarItemInfo.Overlay = $sync["checkmarkrender"]
             }
             'warning' {
+                if (-not $sync["warningrender"]) {
+                    Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo $false -IncludeStatusAssets $true
+                }
                 $sync["Form"].taskbarItemInfo.Overlay = $sync["warningrender"]
             }
             'None' {

pester/assets.Tests.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#===========================================================================
+# Tests - Asset rendering
+#===========================================================================
+
+BeforeAll {
+    $script:repoRoot = (Resolve-Path (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "..")).Path
+}
+
+Describe "Rendered asset caching" {
+    It "caches rendered bitmap assets by type and size" {
+        $assetScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Invoke-WinUtilAssets.ps1") -Raw
+
+        $assetScript | Should -Match 'RenderedAssetCache'
+        $assetScript | Should -Match '\$cacheKey = "\$\(\(\[string\]\$type\)\.ToLowerInvariant\(\)\)\|\$Size"'
+        $assetScript | Should -Match 'return \$sync\.RenderedAssetCache\[\$cacheKey\]'
+        $assetScript | Should -Match '\$sync\.RenderedAssetCache\[\$cacheKey\] = \$bitmapImage'
+    }
+
+    It "renders only the logo overlay before first paint and defers status overlays" {
+        $mainScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "scripts\main.ps1") -Raw
+
+        $mainScript | Should -Match 'Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo \$true -IncludeStatusAssets \$false'
+        $mainScript | Should -Match 'Dispatcher\.BeginInvoke\(\[System\.Windows\.Threading\.DispatcherPriority\]::Background, \[action\]\{ Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo \$false -IncludeStatusAssets \$true \}'
+        $mainScript | Should -Not -Match '\$sync\["checkmarkrender"\] = \(Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "checkmark"'
+        $mainScript | Should -Not -Match '\$sync\["warningrender"\] = \(Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "warning"'
+    }
+
+    It "lazily creates taskbar overlays before assigning them" {
+        $taskbarScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Set-WinUtilTaskbarItem.ps1") -Raw
+
+        $taskbarScript | Should -Match 'Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo \$true -IncludeStatusAssets \$false'
+        $taskbarScript | Should -Match 'Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo \$false -IncludeStatusAssets \$true'
+    }
+
+    It "records individual taskbar overlay render checkpoints" {
+        $overlayScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets.ps1") -Raw
+
+        $overlayScript | Should -Match 'Taskbar logo asset rendered'
+        $overlayScript | Should -Match 'Taskbar checkmark asset rendered'
+        $overlayScript | Should -Match 'Taskbar warning asset rendered'
+    }
+}

pester/performance.Tests.ps1

@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ Describe "Startup performance checkpoints" {
         $mainScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "scripts\main.ps1") -Raw
         $lazyTabScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Initialize-WinUtilTabContent.ps1") -Raw
         $runspaceScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Initialize-WinUtilRunspacePool.ps1") -Raw
-        $startupText = "$mainScript`n$lazyTabScript`n$runspaceScript"
+        $overlayScript = Get-Content -Path (Join-Path $script:repoRoot "functions\private\Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets.ps1") -Raw
+        $startupText = "$mainScript`n$lazyTabScript`n$runspaceScript`n$overlayScript"
 
         foreach ($checkpoint in @(
             "Runspace pool initialized",
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ Describe "Startup performance checkpoints" {
             "Tweaks UI created",
             "Features UI created",
             "AppX UI created",
-            "Assets rendered",
+            "Taskbar logo asset rendered",
             "First content rendered"
         )) {
             $startupText | Should -Match ([regex]::Escape($checkpoint))

pester/xaml.Tests.ps1

@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ Describe "XAML and sync wiring" {
             "InitializedTabs",
             "PerformanceTrace",
             "PerformanceTraceEnabled",
+            "RenderedAssetCache",
             "ToggleStatusCache",
             "InstallAppAreaBorder",
             "InstallAppAreaScrollViewer",

scripts/main.ps1

@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ $sync["Form"].Add_ContentRendered({
 
     $sync["Form"].Focus()
     $sync["Form"].Dispatcher.BeginInvoke([System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority]::Background, [action]{ Initialize-WinUtilRunspacePool | Out-Null }) | Out-Null
+    $sync["Form"].Dispatcher.BeginInvoke([System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority]::Background, [action]{ Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo $false -IncludeStatusAssets $true }) | Out-Null
 })
 
 # The SearchBarTimer is used to delay the search operation until the user has stopped typing for a short period
@@ -384,11 +385,7 @@ $sync["Form"].Add_Loaded({
 
 $NavLogoPanel = $sync["Form"].FindName("NavLogoPanel")
 $NavLogoPanel.Children.Add((Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "logo" -Size 25)) | Out-Null
-
-$sync["logorender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "Logo" -Size 90 -Render)
-$sync["checkmarkrender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "checkmark" -Size 512 -Render)
-$sync["warningrender"] = (Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Type "warning" -Size 512 -Render)
-Write-WinUtilPerformanceCheckpoint -Name "Assets rendered"
+Initialize-WinUtilTaskbarOverlayAssets -IncludeLogo $true -IncludeStatusAssets $false
 
 Set-WinUtilTaskbaritem -overlay "logo"
 

speed-todo.md

@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ WinUtil currently does too much work before the first GUI paint. Work from the t
 
 ## P6 - Asset And Theme Cost
 
-- [ ] Measure `Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Render` calls during startup.
-- [ ] Cache rendered logo, checkmark, and warning images once per process.
-- [ ] Defer non-critical taskbar overlay assets until after first render if measurable.
-- [ ] Verify taskbar overlay success/error states still display correctly.
+- [x] Measure `Invoke-WinUtilAssets -Render` calls during startup.
+- [x] Cache rendered logo, checkmark, and warning images once per process.
+- [x] Defer non-critical taskbar overlay assets until after first render if measurable.
+- [x] Verify taskbar overlay success/error states still display correctly.
 
 ## P7 - Verification