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WordPress Performance Checklist (2026 Edition)

A practical, battle-tested reference for optimizing WordPress sites — covering everything from hosting configuration to Core Web Vitals. Use it during audits, new builds, or site overhauls.

Download the full PDF below — includes prioritization scoring and implementation notes.

Core Web Vitals & Metrics

  • Target LCP under 2.5s — optimize the largest above-the-fold element first
  • Target CLS under 0.1 — set explicit width and height on all images and embeds
  • Target INP under 200ms — minimize long tasks on the main thread
  • Run a PageSpeed Insights audit before and after each optimization round
  • Use Chrome DevTools Performance panel to identify render-blocking resources

Hosting & Server Configuration

  • Use PHP 8.2+ with OPcache enabled at the server level
  • Enable GZIP or Brotli compression at the server level
  • Set proper Cache-Control and ETag headers for static assets
  • Use a managed WordPress host with object caching (Redis or Memcached)
  • Ensure your server is geographically close to your primary audience

Caching Strategy

  • Install WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache for full-page caching
  • Enable browser caching for static assets (1 year for versioned files)
  • Use database query caching via object cache (Redis preferred)
  • Enable fragment caching for dynamic components (cart, user menus)
  • Configure cache exclusions for logged-in users and WooCommerce pages

CDN & Asset Delivery

  • Route static assets through Cloudflare or a dedicated CDN
  • Enable CDN-level caching with proper cache rules per content type
  • Use Cloudflare Page Rules to cache HTML for anonymous visitors
  • Enable Cloudflare Rocket Loader for non-critical JavaScript
  • Serve fonts from your own domain or use preconnect hints for Google Fonts

Image Optimization

  • Convert all images to WebP format (with AVIF fallback where supported)
  • Implement lazy loading for all below-the-fold images (loading='lazy')
  • Set explicit width and height attributes on all img elements
  • Use responsive images with srcset to serve appropriately sized images
  • Compress all images — target under 100 KB per image with Imagify or ShortPixel

JavaScript & CSS Optimization

  • Audit and remove unused plugins — every plugin adds JS/CSS overhead
  • Defer or load async all non-critical JavaScript files
  • Minify and combine CSS files where possible (test Elementor compatibility)
  • Remove WooCommerce cart fragments script on non-shop pages
  • Load Elementor scripts only on pages that actually use Elementor

Get the Full PDF Checklist

Includes prioritization scoring, tool recommendations, and implementation notes.