Free Resource

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.

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