Speed optimization should be a priority for all website owners as it directly affects the . Also, the longer a website takes to load, the higher its bounce rate. This can prevent you from converting and getting traffic to your site.
With the right tools and settings, you can significantly increase your performance. For this reason, we will show you how to optimize your page score using the best caching plugin from LiteSpeed Technologies.
We have tested the LiteSpeed Cache plugin and configured the settings on three different websites. This article will walk you through the settings we apply to get the best results.
Before we dive into the setup, let’s start with a brief overview of the LiteSpeed cache plugin.
What is LiteSpeed?
LiteSpeed is web server software designed to speed up the performance of a website. Built on event-driven architecture, LiteSpeed server can handle higher traffic with fewer processes, reducing resource usage and improving page speed.
LiteSpeed server also has a built-in replacement for with support .htaccess, which allows users to switch from Apache and use existing configurations. Additionally, LiteSpeed works with several popular hosting control panels, such as WHM, DirectAdmin, and Plesk.
There are two editions of LiteSpeed web server available:
- LiteSpeed Enterprise– It is suitable for hosting multiple websites or a shared hosting environment. This automatically detects changes to the file .htaccess and adjust the settings without restarting the server.
- OpenLiteSpeed: It is an open source version of LiteSpeed Enterprise that has all its essential features. This requires a restart every time you upload a new file .htaccess. That is why this web host is usually used for personal websites.
To improve the performance of a site, LiteSpeed uses a built-in server-level cache known as LiteSpeed Cache.
LiteSpeed Cache is a LiteSpeed Technologies product that optimizes dynamic content on web pages. This one comes with advanced caching and optimization features. LiteSpeed Cache is also available as a plugin on various platforms, including WordPress.
LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress (LSCWP) works by storing a copy of the website content for future requests. As a result, the server has to process fewer requests and can display web pages faster.
Please note that features that require server caching are only available on the LiteSpeed server. On the other hand, the optimization features can be used with any web server, including OpenLiteSpeed, Nginx, and Apache. These features include image optimization, CSS/JS integration and modification.
Before we go any further, let’s take a look at the scores that Google PageSpeed Insights gave to the mobile and desktop versions of the analyzed website before LiteSpeed Cache was set up.
Once LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress was configured, both versions improved the score.
LiteSpeed Cache plugin performance on OpenLiteSpeed, LiteSpeed web server, Nginx and Apache
Although the LiteSpeed caching plugin can work outside of the LiteSpeed environment, its functionality differs depending on the web server you are using. Therefore, process and outcome measurements will also be different.
For this reason, we have performed large and small scale stress tests comparing LiteSpeed web server, and Apache. Here we will show you three metrics of its performance: the complete processing time, the requests per second and the megabytes per second.
¡Important! Stress tests were performed from Lithuania on servers located in the US.
As seen above, LiteSpeed web hosts got the best score. Linking LiteSpeed web server with LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress will certainly give your website the most optimal performance.
Installing the LiteSpeed Cache plugin
Fortunately, the LiteSpeed Cache plugin comes pre-installed with all accounts. Therefore, users can go ahead and skip the .
However, if you are using a different web host, follow the instructions below to install LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress.
- Login to your WordPress dashboard and go to the section plugins.
- Search LiteSpeed Cacheclick Install Now and then in Activate.
- Refresh the page – the LiteSpeed Cache section will appear on your desktop.
Once the WordPress plugin is installed, you will need to configure it. Read the next section to learn the best way to set up LiteSpeed Cache for your WordPress site.
Best way to configure LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress
We have tested this LiteSpeed Cache setup on three shared-hosted websites: a simple blog site, an e-commerce website, and an online portfolio.
¡Important! When testing performance in GTmetrix, do it multiple times regardless of which caching plugin you are using, as the cache may not be accessed the first time or may not load. Also, make sure to purge the cache before trying any new settings.
We’ll also include a detailed description of each setting to help you decide if you need to change it.
Let’s start by completing the basic setup.
1. Complete basic setup
Before we get into the steps to complete the basic setup of the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, let’s compare the performance test results of the three websites.
The graph above shows a significant improvement in website performance after activating and configuring the LiteSpeed Cache plugin.
For this reason, we will guide you through the features and functionality of this plugin, along with the best settings you can apply. Let’s start with the page General adjustments.
The first option on this page is auto update. As the name suggests, change this button to On (enabled) will cause the system to install the latest version of the LiteSpeed Cache plugin.
Next, there is a field to add your domain key, also known as the API key. This is important to have if you want to use the QUIC.cloud. Just click the button Request domain key.
We will talk more about setting QUIC.cloud in the next section. Now, head to the next section and you will see the guest mode.
This option provides an auto-cached landing page for a visitor’s first request. When you enable guest mode, the server will not need to fetch visitor information and will instead serve them the default cached page. As a result, the page load time will be less.
Once the cached pages are served, the server will make an Ajax call to get the proper version of the web pages that the visitors requested. To enable guest mode, simply change the button to ON.
To optimize guest mode, use the option Guest Optimization.
When you enable this setting, the server will not only serve the default cached page, but will also perform image and page optimization even if these features are disabled.
However, guest mode optimization can consume some of your WordPress website’s resources, so it’s best to check with your web host before enabling this setting.
Below this, you will come across the field server IP for your site. Including your IP address will allow the crawler to retrieve resources directly from your server, improving site performance.
Contact your web hosting provider for information on your website’s IP address. users can access the desktop of and go to Hosting -> Manage -> Details.
Below you will find the settings for Notices. By enabling it, you will get the latest information about LiteSpeed Cache plugin development, including promotions and new releases.
Make sure to save your changes after making adjustments.
2. Adjust cache settings
The LiteSpeed cache settings page includes features that apply primarily to LiteSpeed web servers or the QUIC.cloud CDN. This page has multiple settings – this section will cover all the caching features to help you choose the best approach.
- Enable cache: ON. Enabling this option will cause the system to automatically cache your WordPress site. Although disabling this feature will not affect the content of the site, all cached files will be deleted. We recommend keeping the default settings to improve loading times.
- Cache logged in users: OFF. This setting automatically caches web pages for logged in users. However, enabling this setting will consume server resources. It’s best to keep this option disabled unless you have a membership website.
- Cache commenters: OFF. The result of this function depends on the comment moderation settings. If both comment caching and moderation are enabled, users will not see your comments immediately. Conversely, if the comment caching feature is disabled, users will see their pending comments.
- Cache REST API: ON. This allows you to cache requests from calls to the . These calls are typically made by third-party web applications integrated with WordPress, including themes, plugins, and the .
- Cache access page: ON. This option displays cached versions of login pages. It is best to leave this option enabled as it will make your WordPress site load faster each time a visitor arrives.
- Cache favicon.ico: ON. Keeping this feature enabled will help avoid unnecessary PHP calls and will make the server response faster. Otherwise, the system will search for the file favicon.ico and it will force the WordPress PHP backend to run, which will slow down your website.
- Cache PHP resources: ON. This feature caches static elements, including CSS and JS files generated by WordPress themes. Keep this setting enabled to speed up performance…
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