Hello, @desiweb
It’s great that you’re already familiar with IT and have experience optimizing WordPress sites. Based on the critical issue you’re facing regarding autoloaded options, let’s break down the situation and explore possible solutions to speed up your site.
Key Points from the Issue:
Autoloaded Options: WordPress plugins and themes can store configuration settings in the database that are automatically loaded on every page request. This can slow down the site if there are too many autoloaded options.
Over 1100 Autoloaded Options: The presence of 1102 autoloaded options (and a 1 MB size) indicates that some plugins might be using excessive autoloaded options, which can affect performance.
Steps to Address the Performance Issue
1. Identify Autoloaded Options:
You can identify which autoloaded options are causing the issue by querying the WordPress database.
Use this SQL query to list all autoloaded options:
SELECT option_name, LENGTH(option_value) AS option_size FROM wp_options WHERE autoload = 'yes' ORDER BY option_size DESC;
This query will give you an idea of the largest autoloaded options and allow you to pinpoint which plugin or theme might be contributing the most. You can also use plugins like Query Monitor to view database queries in real time.
2. Clean Up Autoloaded Options:
Remove Unnecessary Options: If certain autoloaded options are no longer required, you can manually delete them or disable the autoload feature for certain options. Be careful when doing this, as some options might be crucial for the functioning of plugins or themes.
Use the following SQL query to disable autoloading for specific options (after you’ve identified unnecessary ones):
UPDATE wp_options SET autoload = 'no' WHERE option_name = 'your_option_name';
Be sure to back up your database before making changes directly to the database.
3. Optimize WordPress Database:
You can use a database optimization plugin like WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner to remove unused options, orphaned metadata, and other unnecessary entries that could be affecting performance.
Run the optimization periodically to ensure that your database remains lean.
4. Disable/Limit Unused Features:
Review your plugins and see if any features are unnecessary. Disable or remove any unused features that could be consuming resources.
For example, Site Kit by Google and Google for WooCommerce may offer features you don’t need, like automatic data synchronization or overly frequent checks.
Final Thoughts:
You’ve already tried many optimization strategies, but the issue with autoloaded options remains a critical area for performance improvement. By auditing your database, cleaning up unnecessary autoloaded options, and optimizing the plugins, you should see a significant performance boost.
Also, consider leveraging server-side optimization, such as Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) for faster static file delivery and PHP 8.x (if you’re not already using it) for improved performance.
Alternatively, you can request our Customization team for site optimization via paid customization services by filling out the form here: https://www.portotheme.com/customization/
Best Regards,
PThemes Team.
