WP Super Cache Settings for Optimal Performance

WP Super Cache Settings Step #1 Picking the Type of Cache to use

After you download, install and activate WP Super Cache the next thing that you will have to do is enable the caching of your website.

By default the setting will be “legacy page caching”. This is the safest but slowest setting. The second fastest is PHP caching and the fastest is mod_rewrite.

• Legacy Page Caching – Slowest
• PHP Caching – Faster
• mod_rewrite – Fastest

Why is mod_rewrite the fastest?

It serves super cached static HTML files. It bypasses any dynamic processing brought about by PHP. It uses the .htaccess file on the Apache server to process all the content by using mod_rewrite. You have to make sure that mod_rewrite is enabled before using this feature. You will know if you have mod_rewrite if you have “Pretty Permalinks” those are the kinds of links that generate urls with the title of your articles in them. Otherwise you will get a URL is p-101 at the end of www.whatevr.com/p-101.php

The php setting is almost as fast and its easier to configure than mod_rewrite. Until now you had to guess what to so, I am going to show you the best settings for mod_rewrite and tell you why. Here are the recommended settings for php cache.

PHP Cache Recommended Settings Enable the following:

• PHP caching
• Compress pages
• Don’t cache pages for known users
• Cache rebuild
• CDN support
• Extra homepage checks

Step #2 Advanced Settings Tab

So now click on the “Advanced Settings” tab. Make sure that you tick “Cache hits to this website for quick access”. Also tick the box beside “Use mod_rewrite rules to serve cached files. Imitate all the settings that I have checked below.

Miscellaneous Settings

Compress pages so they’re served more quickly to visitors. (Recommended)
Compression is disabled by default because some hosts have problems with compressed files. Switching it on and off clears the cache.
304 Not Modified browser caching. Indicate when a page has not been modified since last requested.(Recommended)

Warning! 304 browser caching is only supported when not using mod_rewrite caching.

Don’t cache pages for known users. (Recommended)
Don’t cache pages with GET parameters. (?x=y at the end of a url)
Make known users anonymous so they’re served supercached static files.
Cache rebuild. Serve a supercache file to anonymous users while a new file is being generated.(Recommended)
Proudly tell the world your server is Stephen Fry proof! (places a message in your blog’s footer)

Advanced Settings

Enable dynamic caching. Requires PHP or legacy caching. (See FAQ or wp-super-cache/plugins/dynamic-cache-test.php for example code.)
Mobile device support. (External plugin or theme required. See the FAQ for further details.)

Mobile Browsers

2.0 MMP, 240×320, 400X240, AvantGo, BlackBerry, Blazer, Cellphone, Danger, DoCoMo, Elaine/3.0, EudoraWeb, Googlebot-Mobile, hiptop, IEMobile, KYOCERA/WX310K, LG/U990, MIDP-2., MMEF20, MOT-V, NetFront, Newt, Nintendo Wii, Nitro, Nokia, Opera Mini, Palm, PlayStation Portable, portalmmm, Proxinet, ProxiNet, SHARP-TQ-GX10, SHG-i900, Small, SonyEricsson, Symbian OS, SymbianOS, TS21i-10, UP.Browser, UP.Link, webOS, Windows CE, WinWAP, YahooSeeker/M1A1-R2D2, iPhone, iPod, Android, BlackBerry9530, LG-TU915 Obigo, LGE VX, webOS, Nokia5800

Mobile Prefixes

w3c , w3c-, acs-, alav, alca, amoi, audi, avan, benq, bird, blac, blaz, brew, cell, cldc, cmd-, dang, doco, eric, hipt, htc_, inno, ipaq, ipod, jigs, kddi, keji, leno, lg-c, lg-d, lg-g, lge-, lg/u, maui, maxo, midp, mits, mmef, mobi, mot-, moto, mwbp, nec-, newt, noki, palm, pana, pant, phil, play, port, prox, qwap, sage, sams, sany, sch-, sec-, send, seri, sgh-, shar, sie-, siem, smal, smar, sony, sph-, symb, t-mo, teli, tim-, tosh, tsm-, upg1, upsi, vk-v, voda, wap-, wapa, wapi, wapp, wapr, webc, winw, winw, xda , xda-

Remove UTF8/blog charset support from .htaccess file. Only necessary if you see odd characters or punctuation looks incorrect. Requires rewrite rules update.
Clear all cache files when a post or page is published or updated.
Extra homepage checks. (Very occasionally stops homepage caching) (Recommended)
Only refresh current page when comments made.
List the newest cached pages on this page.
Coarse file locking. You probably don’t need this but it may help if your server is underpowered. Warning! May cause your server to lock up in very rare cases!
Late init. Display cached files after WordPress has loaded. Most useful in legacy mode.
DO NOT CACHE PAGE secret key: 5454545454544iguvguv

Finally do not forget to click on the update status button.

You may be required to update the “Mod Rewrite Rules”, go ahead and click on the button if the plugin is asking you to do so.