FacetWP Cache

FacetWP Cache - Speed up content filtering and searching

FacetWP Cache is an extension designed to optimize the filtering and faceted search capabilities of WordPress sites using FacetWP. The plugin minimizes database load and reduces response times for filter-generated queries, improving the fluidity of navigation across product catalogs, classifieds, job listings, and real estate directories.

How FacetWP Cache works

The mechanism relies on caching query results generated by FacetWP and intelligently creating cache keys that take into account sets of filters, sorting, and pagination parameters. Results can be stored in object storage (e.g., Redis, Memcached) or in WordPress transients, depending on the environment configuration. Subsequent identical queries retrieve content from the cache instead of executing expensive database queries, significantly reducing the load time of the results section.

Main functions

• Faceted search results caching, distinguishing between filter combinations and pagination
• Configurable cache time-to-live (TTL) for different data types
• Possibility of integration with popular object storage systems: Redis, Memcached and native WP Object Cache
• Pre-heat/warm cache option - preparing results for the most frequently used queries
• Automatic cache invalidation after content changes (e.g. publishing, editing or deleting an entry)
• FacetWP AJAX query support and pagination and sorting compatibility
• Built-in diagnostic tools: cache key view, read/write statistics, and hit rates

Benefits for the website owner

• Reduced filter result loading time, which improves user experience and increases conversion rates
• Reducing the load on the database in the case of high traffic or extensive catalogs
• Scalability – handle seasonal traffic spikes and marketing campaigns more easily
• Better interoperability with HTTP layer cache servers (Varnish, CDN) thanks to consistent and faster application responses

Applications and Use Cases

FacetWP Cache is suitable for use wherever advanced data filtering is used. Typical scenarios include:

• WooCommerce stores with a large product catalog and multiple attributes (color, size, price, brand)
• Portals with classifieds and catalogs (automotive, real estate, jobs)
• Websites with marketplace content or a service catalog
• Pages with custom post types and extensive taxonomy and meta field filters

Configuration and compatibility

FacetWP Cache works as an extension that works with FacetWP and the standard WordPress ecosystem. Installation involves activating the plugin and selecting your preferred caching method. Using an external object cache is recommended for large-scale sites. It's a good idea to configure an expiration policy and invalidation rules to keep results up-to-date after content edits.

Optimization tips

• Enable caching for the most frequently used filter combinations and set a higher pre-heating priority for popular queries
• Adjust the TTL to the catalog update frequency - shorter for dynamic content, longer for static content
• Monitor cache hit rate and adjust object memory system configuration if hits are low
• Test performance in a pre-production environment to assess the impact of changes on response times and DB load

FacetWP Cache enables faster and more responsive filtering on WordPress sites using FacetWP, translating into a better user experience and lower operational costs when handling large data sets.