WordPress offers an easy and quick way for you to set up and manage your website. However, there are numerous reasons why a WordPress website can run slowly. Large images, complex themes and running a significant number of plugins can all impact web speeds. But no matter the size and speed of your website you should optimize it to run as efficiently as possible.
One important step you can take is installing and configuring a caching plugin, like WP Super Cache. Caching plugins store dynamically-generated WordPress posts and pages as static files. These static files are then served to users, significantly reducing the processing load on the server and accelerating page speeds.
Cached files will be served to the majority of your readers. Three caching modes are available to support a range of administration skills and goals:
- Expert Mode uses Apache’s mod_rewrite feature to serve “supercached” static html files and is the fastest mode available. Expert mode completely bypasses PHP and is extremely quick.
- Simple Mode is the recommended setting for WP Super Cache and is easier to configure and manage. It’s almost as quick as using mod_rewrite, but does not require .htaccess changes.
- WP-Cache Caching is used to cache pages for known users (i.e. logged in users and visitors who leave comments). This mode is always enabled, but can be customized depending on your needs.
If you’re uncomfortable editing PHP files, then Simple Mode is recommended. It serves pages almost as quickly as Expert Mode but with reduced complexity.
To learn more about WP Super Cache, visit the developer’s website. For more tips on optimizing your WordPress installation, check out this HostPapa knowledge base article. For further questions or if you need help, please open a support ticket from your HostPapa Dashboard. Follow this link to learn how.