I won’t be going to bore you by sharing how speed affects your website’s revenue. You are already aware of it. In this post, we will look at the best settings for the WP Fastest Cache plugin to make sure our site loads faster.
This plugin has over a million installations, which is absolutely amazing, but I don’t recommend installing it, you’ll learn more about it later in the post.
Contents
Installation Process
Step 1: Install WP Fastest Cache
Go to the plugins section and type WP Fastest Cache in the search box. Click on install and activate it once it’s installed.
Step 2: Go To Settings
Once the installation process is done, click on Settings to set up this plugin.
WP Fastest Cache Settings
Follow the settings as per the image shown below.
- Cache System: Enable
- Widget Cache System: The Widget Cache feature is available in the paid version. You can lessen the number of SQL queries with this feature.
- Preload: Enable The preload allows you to create the cache of all the post, page, category, homepage, etc. periodically, which helps much in improving future page loads.
It is recommended to enable preload for all the pages:
- Logged-in Users: Enable
You can keep it unchecked if your site belongs to the community, social media, or QnA niche. This kind of niche sees multiple user logins, so keeping it disable makes sense.
- Mobile: Disable (Uncheck)
Only enable it if you use a different theme for mobiles, otherwise, keep it unchecked. Almost every theme is optimized for mobile devices so you don’t need to turn this on.
- Mobile Theme: Only for paid users. If you use a responsive theme, no requirement to use the mobile cache feature. You should uncheck the “Mobile” and “Mobile Theme” options.
- New Post: Enable
It will clear the cache when you publish a new post. It will also update the homepage and blog page. It is recommended to turn it on (enable).
Settings for a new post:
- Update Post: Enable
If your site in SEO or Tech niche, it is important to enabling it because these niches require updated content. Enabling It will clear the cache once you update your post.
Update Post Settings:
- Minify HTML: Enable
Minifying your HTML can improve your PageSpeed, GTmatrix, and Pingdom score by decreasing your page’s render and load times, and reducing your overall page size.
- Minify HTML Plus:
It’s a premium feature that allows you to minify HTML which significantly improves load time.
- Minify CSS: Enable
Minifying CSS code can save many bytes of data and speed up downloading, parsing, and execution time.
- Minify CSS Plus:
A premium feature. According to the developer, it is a more powerful way to minify css.
- Combine CSS: Enable
Combining your external JavaScript and CSS files is useful for a few reasons. First off, the number of requests can be significantly decreased given your website uses multiple CSS and JS files to render the page. However, it should be tested.
- Minify JS:
It is a premium feature, you can decrease the size of js file with the help of it.
- Combine Js: Enable
It helps, but it should be tested.
- Combine Js Plus:
It is a premium feature that claims to minify Js more effectively.
- GZIP: Enable
Only enable it if you are not using Cloudflare’s Brotli. According to WordPress experts, Brotli is faster than GZIP.
- Browser Caching: Enable
The most important thing, you should always enable it because it removes pressure from your web server. Also, it loads the page faster for repeated users.
- Disable Emojis: Enable
Emojis take time to load, you can restrict them from popping up on your site by using this feature, however, you can disable this feature if you use emojis to make your posts more engaging.
- Render Blocking JS:
A premium feature, JavaScript is a piece of code that might be present on your website to enable some functions of your theme or plugins. And “Render Blocking” means that these JavaScript codes are either blocking or slowing down your website speed. Autoptimize is a better plugin that can do this work for you for free.
- Google Fonts:
A premium feature. Some themes offer this feature for free. However, to enable Google fonts in WP Fastest Cache, you have to buy their plan.
- Lazy Load:
Another premium feature, however, you don’t need that. Lazy load is a built-in feature in WordPress.
Delete Cache
Deleting cache is important because it improves the speed and performance of your website. Static cached files load quicker than dynamic database queries, and this drives to faster and better performance of your website. Caching can also help lessen the load on your hosting server.
After configuring the WP Fastest Cache settings, click on the next tab which is “Delete Cache”.
Click on both “Clear All Cache” and “Delete Cache and Minified CSS/JS.
Some FAQ’s
What does clearing cache do?
Clearing the cache simply removes temporary files. It won’t delete login credentials, downloaded files, or custom settings.
How often should I clean my cache?
I normally clear cache data every week or two, but it depends on how often you update your website. If you update your site every 3 days, then clear cache every 3 days, simple.
Will clearing cache delete pictures?
No, it won’t remove any media from your site. However, it is important to have backups of your site because caching plugins may put your site at risk of breaking.
Timeout Rules
It’s really cool feature by WP Fastest Cache. It automatically deletes cache after a selected period of time. You can select after how many days the cache should be deleted.
Ideal settings:
- If Request_URI = ALL
- Then = Select it according to how often you update your website.
- Click Save
Image Optimization
Image optimization is crucial for your website speed. Most high-quality images are more than 200KB. It is important to compress them without losing their quality, however, this feature is not free, you have to buy their plan to enable this feature. There are many great plugins available that can help you optimized images.
Smush plugin is a popular plugin that can optimize images without compromising their quality, however, Smush is not a lightweight plugin so I recommend using like ShortPixel, Imagify, or TinyPNG.
Premium
I think this plugin is quite expensive. Its price is around $50, with this much money you can buy WP Rocket which has a lot more options than WP Fastest Cache. Also, the WP Fastest cache plugin looks old and hardly gets updated with new features. I don’t recommend you spending 50 bucks because it is certainly not worth it.
Features In Premium
- Image Optimization
- Mobile Cache
- Minify HTML Plus
- Combine Js Plus
- Minify Js
- Delete Cache Logs
- Cache Statics
Exclude
In case your site breaks and you notice anything different, simply exclude them from minification by adding new CSS and JS rules. You need to find problematic CSS or JavaScript files(s) for this.
I don’t think you will face any issues. Just skip this part if the problem isn’t visible.
CDN (Most Important Part)
You’ll see four options in the CDN Settings section.
- CDN by StackPath
- CDN by Photon
- Other CDN Providers
- CDN by Cloudflare
Both StackPath & Photon CDN are partners of WP Fastest Cache, but will not be going to use them in this tutorial. We’ll see how you can connect the fastest cache with Bunny CDN and Cloudflare.
Bunny CDN Set Up
Bunny CDN offers 14 days of free trial so that you can test how they are performing. I prefer them above Cloudflare. Some bloggers have noticed that their site’s TTFB increased after connecting with Cloudflare CDN.
There are many negative reviews circulating on social media about Cloudflare’s free service, however, there are rarely any negative reviews about Bunny CDN available on social platforms.
We should not ignore that Cloudflare offers a free service while Bunny CDN charges according to uses. It is better to purchase a good host than purchasing multiple services (like plugins and CDN’s).
Step 1: Create Bunny CDN Account
Click on “Try FREE For 14 Days to go to the signup page.
Step 2: Fill Up Login Info
Fill your email and set up a strong password. Also, check T&C.
Step 3: Check Your Email
Bunny CDN will send you a mail to confirm your account. Click on “Confirm Account”
Step 4: Add Pull Zone Set Up
Create a Pull Zone.
- Fill in your site’s name (Just name, no extensions like .com or .net)
- Enter your original URL (example, hostinggrow.com)
Step 5: Copy Your Bunny CDN URL
A new page will open where your Bunny CDN URL will be visible. (Scroll down) Copy it.
Step 6: Paste The CDN URL In WP Fastest Cache (CDN Section)
Click on other CDN Providers.
Paste the Bunny CDN URL in the CDN URL box and enter your website name without extension in the Original URL box. Click on next.
Click on next.
Click On Next.
Click On Next.
Click On Finish.
Click On Close.
Cheers! Set Up Has Been Completed.
Step 7: Click On Purge Pull Zone
Go back to BunnyCDN and click on Purge Pull Zone.
Step 8: Check CDN Score In GTmatrix
Go to Gtmatrix.com and check your site’s overall speed performance. Scroll down and check the CDN score, it should be green.
Step 8: Uncheck A Few Things
Uncheck these things from WP Fastest Cache Settings Section If you are using BunnyCDN.
- Preload – Off
- Logged In Users – Off
- Browser Caching – Off
Steps Are Completed.
Cloudflare Set up
Ignore Setting Up Cloudflare If you have already connected Bunny CDN because you can’t use two CDN’s for one website.
Cloudflare offers a free account that beginners can use to improve their site’s security and speed. However, some people have reported their TTFB (a speed measurement) decreased after implementing Cloudflare which is why I prefer BunnyCDN. Still, let’s see the steps you need to take to properly set up Cloudflare CDN with WP Fastest Cache.
Step 1: Create Cloudflare Account
Go to Cloudflare.com and create a free account there. Creating an account on Cloudflare is simple, just enter your email and set up a strong password.
Step 2: Select Cloudflare For Infrastructure
Step 3: Add Your Website (Enter Your Site Name)
Step 4: Select The Plan
Cloudflare offers 4 types of plans, 3 paid and one free. For this tutorial, I am selecting a free one.
Click on continue after selecting the plan.
Step 5: Cloudflare Will Review Your Site’s DNS
Cloudflare will show you the records. It may confuse you if you are a beginner. Just click on the continue button once everything loads.
Step 6: Change NameServers
This is the most important step to connect Cloudflare. You need to change your site’s current name servers with Cloudflare’s nameservers.
Copy Cloudflare’s both the name servers and paste them in sticky notes.
Step 7: Log Into Your Domain Registrar Account
For this tutorial, I am using GoDaddy.
- Sign Into Your Godaddy Account
- Click On DNS
Once you are logged in, just scroll down and you’ll “DNS” option, click on it.
- Click On Change (Change Nameservers)
Your current nameservers will be visible under Nameservers, click on “Change” to replace them with Cloudflare’s nameservers.
Step 8: Paste Cloudflare’s Nameservers
Paste the nameservers you have copied.
Click on Save to save the changes.
Step 9: Click On Confirm Nameservers
Go back to Cloudflare and “click on Confirm Nameservers”. It might take up to 24hrs to propagate, but usually, it propagates within an hour.
Step 10: Review Cloudflare’s Success Message
Step 11: Find The Cloudflare API Key
To find the API Key, go to Overview and scroll a little bit, under API, click on Get Your API Token.
Step 12: Click On API Tokens
Step 13: Click On Create API Token
Step 14: Click On Use Template
Step 15: Set the Permissions and the Zone Resources as below
Permissions
Zone >> Cache Purge >> Purge
Zone >> Zone Settings >> Edit
Zone Resources
Include >> All zones
– OR –
Include >> Specific zone
Step 16: Click On Continue Summery And Then Click Create Token
Step 18: Copy The API Key
Step 19: Paste The API Key In CDN By Cloudflare Section
Click on CDN by Cloudflare.
Enter copied API Key. Then, click next.
Step 20: Apply These Settings Below
Click Next.
Click Next.
Click On Finish.
Success!
DB (Database)
This the final feature available, however, it is only for premium users. This feature allows you to clean the database to make your site faster.
Although this feature is pretty cool, still, I prefer the WP-Optimize plugin to clean up the database.
Plugins That Are Better Than WP Fastest Cache
Here is the list of plugins that outperformed WP Fastest Cache.
- WP-Rocket (Paid Version)
- Autoptimize
- SG Optimizer (Only For SiteGround Users
- WP Total Cache
- LiteSpeed Cache
Some FAQ’s
Is WP fastest cache premium worth it?
No. WIth 50$ you can buy WP-Rocket which 200% better than WP Fastest Cache. A free version of WP Fastest Cache is enough to reduce loading speed, so it’s not worth it to upgrade to premium.
Which CDN Should I Use, Cloudflare Or BunnyCDN?
BunnyCDN is a better option if your blog gets traffic, but if you are a beginner then try to save money by connecting your blog to Cloudflare. Focus on producing content that is worth reading, don’t spend too much money on plugins and other tools, your first job is creating content as much as you can.
Once your site starts to get traffic, then make your blog super fast by purchasing tools that have the potential to make your website faster.
Can I Connect Both Cloudflare And Bunny CDN With WP Fastest Cache?
No. You should use only one CDN.
What Are Some Other Ways To Make My Site Faster?
- Use A Better Host (Cloudways or A2 Hosting)
- Don’t install too many plugins
- Use a lightweight theme
- Don’t show too many ads
- Use a CDN
- Use AMP if your site gets traffic mainly from mobile
- Use image optimization plugins
Read Similar Post: How To Fix Slow WordPress Admin Panel (Dashboard) With These 17 Tweaks
I hope guys this post helped you. In case you face any issues while setting up WP Fastest Cache, just let me know. I will try my very best to help you guys.
Thanks For Reading!
