3 Useful Caching Plugins That Speed Up WordPress Website Access
Nearly every site I’ve visited should have some sort of caching configured. I’m the kind of guy who reads something, moves to the next page, then might click the “Previous Page” link because I wanted to make sure what I’ve just read was understood correctly — little details in sentence structure can change everything!
Imagine if I did this every day with every site I visited? Now, imagine everyone doing that at the same time. That’s lots of queries! And that’s lots of website resources used just to serve the same content that I’ve already seen before.
However, with caching enabled, my browsing habit would be a trivial matter for the site to handle.
For those unfamiliar with caching, it is the process of storing webpage information, so that it can be recalled and served more quickly. Caching can be done from both the server’s side and the viewer’s side. I’m addressing server’s side caching in this article.
Anytime someone loads a webpage for the first time, a cache version of that page and what the user clicked and requested is created. No matter the session length, until the cache is cleared, the results are stored. Consequently, a user can return to an earlier queried page almost instantly, without the website’s server allocating too much processing power to serve the request again.
As WordPress users are keenly aware, they can create and manage a website, including caching, much more easily than other CMS users. WordPress affords its users abundant, varied and handy plugins for nearly every demand — including caching.
You don’t really need to plumb the depths of WordPress to capitalize on caching; you can search for caching from the WordPress home page, select a given cache option, configure the cache’s functions, and then sit back as the cache takes care of repeat traffic for you.
It’s really that easy.
For those who can’t find the time to peruse 30-plus pages of caching plugins available, I’ve reviewed three highly effective options to choose from:
Comet Cache
A good cache to start with. Unlike some other caching services, Comet Cache is already configured in ways that would be widely useful for nearly every WordPress site on the internet. With a few button clicks, you can activate Comet Cache. It’s also free. It’s user-friendly. It’s cost-efficient. I can’t recommend this plugin more highly.
Of course, you can modify the configuration at your preference. Comet Cache offers options for nearly every kind of system alteration you’d need. From automatic cache clearing to disabling client-side caching, you can set specs exactly as you’d like.
W3 Total Cache
With over a million installs, W3 Total Cache offers an entire suite of configuration options — 17 pages (sections) worth, actually. This breadth can be incredibly daunting for many users, but for those who enjoy deep dives into this type of configuration, they will be well rewarded. This configuration precision means a person could design the perfect caching for a specific site.
W3 Total Cache is frequently updated. Its latest update was distributed at the beginning of October 2016, so you’ll have plenty of current and relevant support for the near future.
WP Super Cache
Super Cache is a free and powerful caching function that does exactly what you would expect — quickly store and retrieve previously accessed pages. WP Super Cache also has over a million active installations, proving it’s been a popular, time-tested plugin.
My only concern is that it’s been nearly half a year since it was last updated. Such a delay can lead to compatibility issues with other plugins. Naturally, this can be quite the deal breaker for some users.
It’s such a simple idea, having the server grab your output, store it, and then serve it for future queries. Caching has been shown to speed up site retrieval ten-fold. However, tapping into its utility can overwhelm, especially when it comes to configuring precisely for your website.
Still, with easy-to-install solutions that sport handy defaults and are cost-free, everyone should deploy caching in front of their websites. You’ll be glad you did.
Please feel free to share any caching stories you’ve experienced in the comments below. And if this blog was useful, consider sharing it through social media.
