WordPress Dynamic Site Caching Configuration

Overview

The process of installing and configuring a caching plugin for a dynamic WordPress site is similar to that of a static site. However, there are critical differences in managing cache exclusions to maintain the accuracy of dynamic content, particularly for e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce.

Step 1: Configure NGINX Server Block

1Navigate to NGINX Configuration Directory

2Open Your Site's Server Block File

3View WP Super Cache Excludes File

4Modify Server Block Configuration

In your server block file, make the following changes:

# Comment out the default location context
#location / {
#    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php$is_args$args;
#}

# Add WP Super Cache includes file above PHP processing location
include /etc/nginx/includes/wp_super_cache_excludes.conf;

5Test and Reload NGINX

Step 2: Install and Configure WP Super Cache Plugin

1Install the Plugin

1. Open your WordPress Dashboard
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New Plugin
3. Search for "WP Super Cache"
4. Click Install Now
5. Click Activate

2Initial Configuration

1. Go to Settings → WP Super Cache
2. Click Caching On
3. Click Update Status
4. Click Test Cache to verify functionality

3Advanced Settings

Switch to Expert Mode and configure the following options:

• Don't cache pages with GET parameters - Enable this option
• Compress pages - Enable for faster serving
• 304 Browser Caching - Enable under Advanced tab
• Clear cache on post/page update - Enable this option

4Preload Configuration

1. Go to the Preload tab
2. Enable preload mode
3. Enable both preload options
4. Click Save Settings

5Debug Settings

1. Go to the Debug tab
2. Ensure Cache Status Messages is enabled
3. Click Save Settings

Step 3: Configure WooCommerce Cache Exclusions

1Exclude Critical URLs

Navigate to Settings → WP Super Cache → Advanced tab. In the Rejected URL Strings section, add the following URLs:

/cart/
/my-account/
/checkout/

2Exclude WooCommerce Cookies

In the Rejected Cookies section, add the following cookies:

woocommerce_cart_hash
woocommerce_items_in_cart
wp_woocommerce_session_
woocommerce_recently_viewed
store_notice[notice id]

Step 4: Configure wp-config.php for Redis

1Navigate to Document Root

2Edit wp-config.php File

3Add WP Cache Key Salt

Scroll to the salt section and add the following constant:

define('WP_CACHE_KEY_SALT', 'example.com');

4Exclude WooCommerce Session from Redis Cache

Scroll down to the custom constants section (above "/* That's all, stop editing! */") and add:

/** PREVENT REDIS CACHING WOO SESSION DATA */
define('WP_REDIS_IGNORED_GROUPS', 'wc_session');

5Save and Reload PHP-FPM

Step 5: Install and Configure Redis Object Cache Plugin

1Install Redis Object Cache Plugin

1. Navigate to Plugins → Add New Plugin
2. Search for "Redis Object Cache"
3. Click Install Now
4. Click Activate

2Enable Object Cache

1. Go to Settings → Redis
2. Status will show "Not Enabled"
3. Click Enable Object Cache

3Verify Configuration

After enabling, verify the following statuses:

• Status: Connected
• File System: Writeable
• Redis: Reachable

4Check Diagnostics

Select the Diagnostics tab and verify:

WP Redis Prefix: example.com
WP Redis Ignored Groups: wc_session

Step 6: Additional Optimizations

CSS and JavaScript Minification

For further optimization, install a minification plugin:

1. Navigate to Plugins → Add New Plugin
2. Search for a minification plugin (e.g., "Autoptimize")
3. Install and configure according to your needs

Uninstalling WP Super Cache and Redis Object Cache

1Deactivate Redis Object Cache Plugin

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. Find "Redis Object Cache"
3. Click Deactivate
4. Click Delete

2Clean Up wp-config.php

Remove the following lines:

define('WP_CACHE_KEY_SALT', 'example.com');

/** PREVENT REDIS CACHING WOO SESSION DATA */
define('WP_REDIS_IGNORED_GROUPS', 'wc_session');

3Reload PHP-FPM

4Disable WP Super Cache

1. Go to Settings → WP Super Cache
2. Click Turn Off Caching
3. Click Update Status
4. Click Clear Cache

5Deactivate and Delete WP Super Cache

1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. Find "WP Super Cache"
3. Click Deactivate
4. Click Delete

6Update NGINX Server Block

Make the following changes:

# Uncomment the default location context
location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php$is_args$args;
}

# Remove the WP Super Cache includes directive
# include /etc/nginx/includes/wp_super_cache_excludes.conf;

7Test and Reload NGINX

Best Practices and Recommendations

For Any Dynamic WordPress Platform

1. Research Cache Exclusions: Identify which URLs must be excluded from the cache for your specific platform
2. Identify Cookie Exclusions: Determine which cookies need to be excluded to maintain functionality
3. Test Thoroughly: Always test your site after implementing caching to ensure all dynamic features work correctly
4. Monitor Performance: Use tools to monitor cache hit rates and overall site performance
5. Regular Maintenance: Periodically review and update cache exclusions as your site evolves

Common Exclusions for Different Platforms

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Shopping Cart Not Updating

• Cause: Cart cookies are being cached
• Solution: Verify that woocommerce_cart_hash and woocommerce_items_in_cart are in the Rejected Cookies list

Issue 2: User Login Issues

• Cause: Login pages or authentication cookies are being cached
• Solution: Ensure /wp-login.php is excluded and wordpress_logged_in cookies are rejected

Issue 3: Redis Connection Failed

• Cause: Redis server not running or misconfigured
• Solution: Check Redis status with sudo systemctl status redis-server

Issue 4: NGINX Configuration Errors

• Cause: Syntax errors in server block or include files
• Solution: Run sudo nginx -t to identify and fix syntax errors

Summary and Next Steps

What You've Accomplished

• Configured NGINX server block for WP Super Cache
• Installed and configured WP Super Cache plugin
• Set up proper cache exclusions for WooCommerce
• Configured Redis Object Cache with session exclusions
• Learned the proper procedure for uninstalling caching plugins

Next Steps

1. Monitor your site's performance and cache hit rates
2. Consider implementing CSS/JS minification and concatenation
3. Set up regular cache clearing schedules
4. Test your site thoroughly, especially dynamic features
5. Document your specific configuration for future reference