What is Object Caching and How to Use It With WordPress

Table of Contents

1. What is Caching?
2. What is Object Caching?
3. How to Use Object Caching with WordPress
4. Wrapping Up

When it comes to caching, there are several types to consider. These include browser caching, page caching, mobile caching, and user caching. If you’re using WP Rocket, you’re likely already benefiting from these caching methods. However, another important type to consider is object caching.

Object caching involves storing database queries, and when enabled on your WordPress site, it can significantly speed up PHP execution times, reduce database load, and deliver content to your visitors more quickly.

In this post, we’ll cover what object caching is, how it works with WordPress (including the built-in object caching that WordPress provides), and various ways you can implement this type of caching on your site to improve performance.

What is Caching?

First, let’s explore the general concept of caching to better understand object caching.

Caching is the process of temporarily storing frequently accessed data in a cache so it can be quickly retrieved for subsequent requests.

When someone visits your site and caching isn’t enabled, their browser sends a request for the page to your server. Your server processes the request, compiles the page, and sends it back to the browser.

For a low-traffic site, this process is manageable, as the server only needs to compile pages occasionally. However, servers hosting large sites have to work much harder, processing and compiling multiple pages per second as requests flood in.

How Caching Works

Caching can help alleviate the load on your server. It stores a copy of each request, so the next time the same request is made, the cache is checked and the stored copy is served. If there’s no copy in the cache, the request is sent to the server to be processed and compiled, and a copy is stored in the cache for future use.

The benefit of caching is that it reduces the workload on your server, allowing it to handle more traffic efficiently. It also speeds up content delivery to users.

For a deeper dive into how caching works, check out our guide: [Why a Caching Plugin is Critical to Your WordPress Site].

Different Types of Caching

There are two main types of caching: client-side caching and server-side caching.

Client-Side Caching

One common form of client-side caching is browser caching. This type stores static web page content in the browser so that the next time someone visits your site, the page is pulled from the local cache on their computer instead of being downloaded again.

Server-Side Caching

Object caching is a type of server-side caching. There are several types of server-side caching, but the key ones include:

1. Object Caching: This involves storing database queries. When a piece of data is needed again, it is delivered from the cache without having to query the database.
2. Page Caching: This stores the entire HTML of a page so that on subsequent views, the content—including files and database queries—can be generated and displayed without WordPress having to process it each time.
3. Opcode Caching: This caches the compiled PHP code between requests. For PHP code to execute, the PHP compiler must first compile the code and then generate executable code for the server to run. Opcode caching saves the already compiled code.
4. CDN Caching: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) use edge servers around the world to store static website files (e.g., CSS, JavaScript, media files) for faster delivery to users who are geographically distant from the host server.

So What is Object Caching?

Object caching specifically deals with storing database query results. When enabled on your WordPress site, it can help speed up PHP execution times, reduce database load, and deliver content to your visitors faster.

How to Use Object Caching with WordPress

Implementing object caching on your WordPress site can significantly improve performance. Here are a few methods to get started:

1. Built-in Object Caching: WordPress has a built-in object caching mechanism, but it’s transient and only lasts for the duration of the request. To make use of persistent object caching, you’ll need a plugin.
2. Caching Plugins: Plugins like W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket, and Redis Object Cache can enable persistent object caching on your WordPress site. These plugins store the results of database queries so that subsequent requests can be served from the cache.
3. Server-Side Solutions: If you’re using a managed WordPress hosting service, object caching might be included in your hosting plan. For example, hosts like WP Engine and Kinsta offer built-in object caching solutions.

Wrapping Up

Caching, especially object caching, is crucial for improving the performance and efficiency of your WordPress site. By storing frequently accessed data and database queries, you can significantly reduce server load and enhance user experience. Implementing object caching can be as simple as installing a plugin or leveraging your hosting provider’s built-in solutions.