The document provides various strategies for optimizing WordPress performance, ranging from basic techniques like keeping the platform updated and using caching plugins to more advanced methods such as leveraging CDNs and setting up multiple database servers. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean codebase and avoiding harmful plugins while also addressing server-side optimizations. The document concludes with warnings against editing core files and suggests best practices for achieving optimal performance.

1. WordPress
Optimization
WordPress Optmization
ben metcalfe | WP Engine
@dotBen | ben@wpengine.com
WordCampPhilly 20011
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2. WordPress
Optimization
Why?
• Um, why not?
• Keep readers/customers happy!
• Stay up under heavy load
• Save $$$
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3. WordPress
Optimization
Level 1
Let‟s get the basics out the way :)
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4. WordPress
Optimization
Keep WP up to date
Why wouldn‟t you?
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5. WordPress
Optimization
Caching plugins FTW!!
W3-Total-Cache
also: WPSuperCache, BatCache
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6. WordPress
Optimization
Deactivate unused
plugins
+ delete plugins you don‟t use at all
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7. WordPress
Optimization
Avoid bad plugins
Include (but not limited to)
• backupwordpress
• backwpup
• broken-link-checker
• dynamic-related-posts
• file-commander
• google-sitemap-generator
• LinkMan (MyReviewPlugin Link Man)
• MyRP (MyReviewPlugin)
• wp-symposium-alerts
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8. WordPress
Optimization
Review your theme
HTML
• does it validate?
• CSS at the top, JS at the bottom (not inline)
PHP
• Any weird code (if it looks bad, it probably is)
• file_get_contents() / fgets()
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9. WordPress
Optimization
Is your host slow?
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10. WordPress
Optimization
Level 2
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11. WordPress
Optimization
Offloading (poor-mans CDN)
Serve images via Flickr/etc
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12. WordPress
Optimization
Feedburn your RSS feed
How many requests to your blog are /feed?
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13. WordPress
Optimization
Repair your MySQL DB
Sometimes you need to tidy your room :)
PHPMyAdmin, OptimizeDB, manually
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14. WordPress
Optimization
Load from multiple sub-
domains
good:
foo1.yourdomain.com, foo2.yourdomain.com
better:
foo1.otherdomain.com, foo2.otheromain2.com
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15. WordPress
Optimization
Browser Caching
HTTP Cache-Control
Expires headers
Entity Tags
(W3-Total-Cache, WPSuperCache)
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16. WordPress
Optimization
Level 3
Mostly assumes SSH access
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17. WordPress
Optimization
Log slow MySQL
queries
Good HOWTO: http://hackmysql.com/nontech
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18. WordPress
Optimization
Check site with Profile Tools
WP-Tuner
WPDB Profiling
http://speed.wpengine.com
YSlow
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19. WordPress
Optimization
CDN
MaxCDN (used @ WP Engine),
Amazon CloudFront
CloudFlare
Use all the time or just „emergencies‟
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20. WordPress
Optimization
„Smush‟ your images
WPSmush.it plugin
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21. WordPress
Optimization
APC/ opcode cache
php-apc + W3-Total-Cache
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22. WordPress
Optimization
Apache optimizations
Disable .htaccess, use httpd.conf
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23. WordPress
Optimization
Dedicated MySQLDB
Box
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24. WordPress
Optimization
Level 4
Hitting the big time
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25. WordPress
Optimization
Reverse-proxy with
nginx
Run Apache on port 8080
Cache statics
(good HOWTO on wp-performance.com)
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26. WordPress
Optimization
Varnish cache
Ideally don‟t run Varnish on port 80,
Avoid cookie issues
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27. WordPress
Optimization
Memcache
Ideally run Memcache on separate box
Use same datacenter, ideally same subnet
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28. WordPress
Optimization
HyperDB
Multiple database servers
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29. WordPress
Optimization
Boss Level
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30. WordPress
Optimization
Static site on Amazon
S3
“Movable Type” Model
100% Static site
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31. WordPress
Optimization
#Fails
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32. WordPress
Optimization
DON‟T edit core files!
No matter what “performance” benefit you think
it will make!
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33. WordPress
Optimization
Amazon EC2
… isn‟t a silver bullet
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34. WordPress
Optimization
Q&A
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