1.
Felix Arntz / Toronto WebPerf Meetup, December 2021
The WordPress
Performance Team
Enhancing performance in WordPress core and ecosystem

2.
May I introduce…
I am deeply excited by
this proposal!
This is a great initiative. It
might finally get the
attention it deserves.
💯 👍 for creating a contributor group
that focuses on the performance!
This is a wonderful idea. Performance is one area
where WordPress can make great strides.

3.
The problem: WordPress sites are slow!

4.
Analysis: Why are WordPress sites slow?
* This audit is for a diagnostic rather than an opportunity, therefore the relative
difference to opportunity audit values may be slightly skewed.
Audit Mobile (ms) Desktop (ms)
JavaScript execution time * 447,330 115,694
Modern image formats 339,810 58,320
Responsive images 165,880 44,160
Unused JavaScript 154,080 28,980
Render-blocking resources 114,386 27,888
Redirects 102,847 33,040
Mobile
Desktop

5.
Complexity: Why are WordPress sites slower?
(than those from other CMSs like Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, …)
● WordPress has an open extension model
● WordPress runs in an uncontrolled environment
● WordPress lacks guidance around performance
● WordPress is “out of control”!
→ Historically, performance has often been called “plugin territory”. But for the
WordPress ecosystem to excel in performance, it has to start at the core.

6.
The WordPress Performance Team is a dedicated
working group to tackle monitoring, enhancing, and
promoting performance in WordPress core and its
surrounding ecosystem.

7.
Prioritizing performance focus areas
bit.ly/3ECqVu3

8.
Prioritizing performance enhancements
● Images: bit.ly/3s3bckj
● JavaScript: bit.ly/3EBy2CY
● Site Health: bit.ly/3ozNWIg
● Measurement: bit.ly/3lMCtTZ
● Object caching: bit.ly/3y9gN9m

9.
A centralized repository and plugin
github.com/WordPress/performance
Keep an eye out for the upcoming
WordPress performance plugin!
● A single plugin with individual
performance modules
● Test future WordPress core
performance features ahead of
time
● “Feature plugin bundle”

10.
Interested? Please contribute!
● Open and discuss issues on the GitHub repository:
github.com/WordPress/performance
● Join the weekly chat (Tuesdays at 16:00 UTC):
wordpress.slack.com/archives/performance
● Read and comment on the blog posts:
make.wordpress.org/core/tag/performance/
If you’re new to WordPress, you can register at login.wordpress.org/register.
After that, join the Slack team via make.wordpress.org/chat/.

11.
Thank You
Felix Arntz
@felixarntz