Speed optimization and caching are fundamental to improving website performance and user experience. However, not all pages should be optimized and cached due to the nature of their content and functionality.
This article explores which pages you should typically exclude from speed optimization and caching, and why.
Dynamic Content Pages
Pages that include user-specific information, like shopping carts, account pages, and checkout pages, are known as dynamic content pages. Since these pages display data that varies based on individual users' activities, caching them might lead to displaying incorrect or outdated data to the user.
Note: If you are a WooCommerce user, NitroPack offers a caching feature that enables fast browsing in your store when users have items in the cart. Learn more about the Cart Cache feature and how to enable it.
Security Sensitive Pages
Pages such as account and checkout pages often handle sensitive information, including user's personal details, login credentials, and payment information. To ensure the security of this information and to prevent unauthorized access, it's best to exclude these pages from caching.
Functional Pages
Certain pages serve specific functional purposes and should not be cached. For instance:
404 Error Pages: These pages appear when a user attempts to visit a page that does not exist. Caching a 404 page might lead to users seeing the error page even when the actual page is available.
Robots.txt: This file tells search engine crawlers which pages or files the crawler can or can't request from your site. Caching this file might lead to search engines getting outdated information about the site structure.
XML-RPC: This is a remote procedure call (RPC) protocol that uses XML to encode its calls and HTTP as a transport mechanism. For the protocol to function properly, it should be excluded from caching.
SEO and Indexing
Sitemaps and feed URLs guide search engines in understanding your website structure and indexing it. If these are cached or improperly optimized, it might affect how search engines index your site.
Sitemaps: These provide information about the pages, videos, and other files on your site, and the relationships between them. They are like an index of your website for search engines.
Feed URLs: These are used to frequently update content in a standardized format. Caching these might lead to search engines and users getting outdated content.
NitroPack's Automatic Exclusions
To ensure optimal performance and avoid potential issues, NitroPack automatically excludes the aforementioned pages from speed optimization and caching. This practice is crucial for several reasons:
Preserve dynamic content: By excluding pages with user-specific information, NitroPack ensures that your users always see the most relevant and up-to-date content.
Ensure security: By excluding sensitive pages like account and checkout pages, NitroPack helps maintain the security of personal and payment information.
Maintain functionality: Excluding functional pages like 404s, robots.txt, and xmlrpc ensures they perform their designated roles without any disruption.
Enhance SEO: By not caching or optimizing sitemaps and feed URLs, NitroPack aids in proper site indexing by search engines.
One last friendly reminder - always carefully consider the specific needs and functions of your web pages when setting up optimization and caching rules.