Here is everything I’ve learnt recently in trying to debug a Wordpress sites performance problems. The site runs on a dedicated server however a lot of these also apply to shared hosting. Remember to please take backups before trying any of these.
Basics
1. Run Wordpress Updates
Often performance issues will be fixed in newer versions of Wordpress, plugins and themes. This may not always be straight forward as it depends on the plugins you have installed and the theme you use.
For all plugins you need to check they are compatible with the latest version of Wordpress, fortunately you can easily see this on Wordpress.org and on the Updates page in newer version of Wordpress.
When I come to run updates I usually take a snapshot of the site to run locally. I can then test and debug any problems before running them on the main site.
2. Empty Caches
Caching can be a great way of speeding up your website however it can also get in the way when trying to debug other problems. When trying something new always clear your caches to make sure cached data doesn’t interfere with anything you’re trying. Most caching plugins have the option to disable caching for authenticated users.
Plugins
3. Disable unused plugins.
If you’re anything like me you will always be trying new plugins for that extra bit of functionality. Check to see if there are any plugins you have that don't add to the value of your site or don't fit in with what your site offers.
4. Enable Caching Plugin
For years I’ve been using WP Super Cache as its easy to setup and works really well. However as I was troubleshooting around this area I found W3 Total Cache, this has more configuration options and the ability to configure a Content Delivery Network (explained below). Most of the default options are a good start however its worth going through every one to see how it affects your site.
5. WP-Optimize
WP-Optimize gives you access to a number of database tasks without needing PHPMYADMIN. Among other features it allows the easy removal of post revisions, comments in the spam queue, and unapproved comments.
Config
All of the following are changes you can make to the wp-config.php file (not to be mixed with wp-config-sample.php).
6. Limit number of revisions
The idea behind this one is that as your site grows by limiting the number of revisions an article can have the wp_posts table grows at a slower rate meaning any SQL queries take less time to complete. The WP-Optimize plugin mentioned above also lets you remove unwanted revisions if you wanted to do this manually.
define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 3);
To disable post revisions all together add:
define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', false);
7. Increase memory limit
While not strictly for performance if you get out of memory errors you can add the following:
ini_set('memory_limit', '128M');
(This can also be set in php.ini and .htaccess - some shared hosting may not let you overwrite this).
8. Enable Wordpress Caching
There are different levels of caching available - to enable the basic built in caching add:
define('WP_CACHE', true);
(Caching plugins often do this for you.)
9. Add Blog Address and Site Address
Each time a page is loaded it looks up these values from the database - the idea behind hard coding these is that its one less SQL query to do.
define('WP_HOME', 'http://www.imafish.co.uk'); // blog url
define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://www.imafish.co.uk'); // site url
Once these are set in the wp-config.php file they will be greyed out in the Wordpress Admin General settings page.
10. Add Template and Stylesheet Paths
As above this adds in the paths for the template and stylesheet to stop an SQL query to find it.
define('TEMPLATEPATH', '/absolute/path/to/wp-content/themes/<theme>');
define('STYLESHEETPATH', '/absolute/path/to/wp-content/themes/<theme>');
This will disable the ability for you to change themes unless you remove these two lines.
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
11. Use a CDN
A CDN allows you to serve static content such images, scripts and stylesheets locally in a geographical sense to the user. So if the server is US based and the visitor is from the London they would get these files from a server close to London. The idea being that as the data is being served from a fast server/network close to their location loading time will be reduced.
CDNs have been around for a long time however only more recently have they become very easy to integrate with Wordpress. The service I tried was MaxCDN they offer 1TB of bandwidth for $40 making it cheap to play around with. Before you can setup MaxCDN with Wordpress you need to install the W3 Total Cache plugin and you need access to your domains DNS.
11a. Login to MaxCDN go to Manage Zones and click create pull zone. As the name suggests a pull zone will copy content from your site so you don’t have to worry about uploading it to multiple places.
11b. Enter your blogs name for the pull zone, your blogs URL for Origin Server URL, something like cdn.yourblog.com for the Custom CDN Domain, something that describes the zone for Label and tick the compression box.
11c. Maxcdn will give you a URL for your CDN that you need to setup as a cname in your sites DNS. This may take several hours to propagate.
11d. Go to Manage Account > API and add a key. The description can be your blogs name.
11e. Login to Wordpress and go to the W3 Total Cache Performance section. Scroll down to Content Delivery Network, tick enable and select NetDNA/MaxCDN.
11f. Go to the Browser Cache Settings tab and change all three options for ‘Cache Control policy’ to ‘cache (“public”)’
11g. Go to the Content Delivery Network tab in W3 Total Cache and add the API ID and Key provided by MaxCDN. Add the cname you setup under Replace site’s hostname with.
Refresh your cache and visit your site. If everything has worked you should see the urls of your stylesheets, scripts and images have been replaced by the cname URL you setup in MaxCDN.
Server - Apache
The following tips require server level access and are for more advanced troubleshooting and performance tweaking.
12. Enable compression
mod_deflate allows the server to send compressed files to the supporting browser, it will increase CPU slightly however should decrease the amount of time a client is connected to the server, a full tutorial can be found here.
13. Hostname Lookups
Turning off DNS lookups can help make your server capable of handling more traffic.
To do this add to your httpd.conf or Apache2 file (often found in etc/apache/httpd.conf or /etc/apache2/apache2.conf):
HostnameLookups Off
(There are a lot more Apache tweaks however the above two often get good results).
Server - PHP
14. Setup an opcode cache such as APC
If your sever has APC installed you can take advantage of this with APC Object Cache Backend plugin.
15. Memcache
Memcache is another type of caching for PHP, again there is a plugin - Memcached Object Cache.
16. Batcache
Again Batcache is another caching module - Batcache Wordpress plugin.
(I will confess I didn't try any PHP caching techniques in my recent troubleshooting however where I've used them in the past there have been significant performance gains).
Server - MYSQL
There are a number of tweaks for mysql.
17. Enable Query Cache
This will cache results to help speed up queries.
In my.cnf find or add:
query-cache-type = 1
query-cache-size = 20M
query-cache-limit = 2M
18. Setup logging of large queries
In my.cnf find or add:
log-slow-queries
long_query_time = 1
Enabling logging of large queries ultimately helped me fix the performance problems with my site. For instance I noticed a query for counting comments to determine popular posts was taking over a second to complete (since the site was now getting a lot of comments). By rewriting this query and setting it to run on a daily cron job I could still generate a list of popular posts without the query running every time the page was loaded.
19. Optimize/Repair Database tables
In PHPMYADMIN or using WP-Optimize you can optimize and repair database tables. Remember to take a backup of these tables first.
Server - General
20. Running Top
While not strictly a performance tip, running top or task manager can help you troubleshoot when the CPU is being used excessively for PHP, Apache or MYSQL.
21. Using ab or siege
Following on from running top tools such as ab or siege can help you test how any of the changes you make affect the performance of the server.
22. Checking with server admin/hosting company
If your server is managed by another company it’s often worth checking with them if there are any performance problems on there. On shared hosting another account maybe be culprit and causing issues so checking with the provider can often fix this.
Theme Optimization
23. Theme Performance
A simple way to see if your current theme is causing problems is to change to another one. If with the new theme the performance is significantly better you can then start disabling plugins and widgets until you diagnose the problem.
Firebug/YSlow
Firebug and YSlow are great browser addons to help diagnose performance issues:
24. Minify/Combine Files
Plugins such W3 Total Cache allow you to minify and combine scripts so that the browser has less and smaller files to download when requesting.
25. Optimize Images
The net tab in Firebug lets you see exactly what is downloaded when loading the page and the total size of all the files. You’ll be able to see any particularly large images and scripts and optimize accordingly.
I hope you've found this list helpful - if you have any tips please leave them in the comments.
The future of manufacturing will definitely include robots—and the future is now. There are already many automated processes, with more to come. But how many more robots and automated machines will there be? Will all human factory workers eventually be replaced, or is this just science fiction?
Automation enabled manufacturing’s latest trend known as lights-out production, a term for facilities able to operate without lights and without any human oversight. At the lights out FANUC (factor automated numerical control) facility in Japan, robots are creating other robots.
Not only the lights are off, so are the A/C and heating. The automated workforce operates continuously, without any breaks. Through this automated, lights out process, FANUC creates 22,000 to 23,000 CNC machines monthly.
FANUC, with its 24/7/365 production schedule, is an uncommon production facility. What’s more common is having automated processes occurring during the third shift for a few hours a day—at least as a starting point.
However, before a company even considers lights-out production, automation systems must already be in place. Companies with interest in seeing if lights-out production is a cost-effective option, turn to specialists like Midwest Engineering Systems (MWES) for customized automation solutions and machine designs.
Although lights-out production isn’t for every company, there are some major benefits including the following:
- Increased product quality
- Improved throughput
- Decrease in workplace injuries—especially in hazardous work environments
- Fills in a skilled worker shortage
- A decrease in labor costs
Douglas Peterson, general manager for collaborative robots maker Universal Robots, told Automation World the criteria to determine what would work is best for a robot vs. what work would be best for human workers.
“Robots are uniquely suited to any manufacturing task that is dirty, dangerous or dull. If the process doesn’t require human dexterity, mental agility or problem-solving skills, then it can be done by a robot.”
Implementing lights-out production is a complex and difficult process. CNC Cookbook outlines and details the many challenges that can come with starting a lights-out production process, with the largest challenge being perfecting processes.
For example, even with the most cutting-edge technology, if a single process is faulty, the whole system is at risk of failure in an automated environment. Testing new equipment and ensuring a seamless production process is critical. Having human supervisors and maintenance techs on-site is often recommended.
On the finance side, the upfront costs of lights-out production can be cost-prohibitive for many. Experts say facilities debating a move to a lights-out system should expect a return on their upfront investment within two years. If the gains in efficiency and productivity will pay of the cost of the automated machines and components themselves within 2 years, the investment likely makes sense.
Automation’s popularity grows as lights-out production is becoming more commonplace and less of a novelty. Machines will likely replace many workers who perform more dangerous or repetitive tasks while helping to boost productivity gains and profitability for many manufacturers.
(Image Credit: Steve Jurvetson / Flickr)
The dining table is the heart of a home. And, if you’re looking to create a unique space where the people you care about will love to gather and connect, then you need Adventures in Furniture.
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Built with the highest-quality craftsmanship and passionate about long-term furniture rather than cheap disposable pieces, your extendable dining table will be made to last generations. And, with ethically sourced materials and considered, sustainable design at the heart of everything we do, your furniture is better for the environment too.
Ready to be inspired?
Bianco table
The Bianco table is a gorgeous design, suitable for any contemporary interior. With clean lines and a minimalist vibe, the table features splayed, tapered legs and comes in a variety of sizes. The solid wood range also has a selection of finishes, from a very pale white-washed oak to an exquisite oiled black walnut. Beautiful Fenix tabletop options are also available.
The extending Bianco dining table folds out easily and requires no extra storage. Ideal for both everyday use and special occasions, the table is perfect for trend-setters seeking that sought-after Scandi style.
Zurich table
The Zurich table design boasts slender, rounded and tapered legs that fit flush to the corners. Adding extra seats to this extending table is simple. The leg sections simply roll out to reveal internally stored extension leaves which can be opened as needed. So, the Zurich is as functional as it is stunning.
Available in lavish walnut and rich oak, the Zurich can also be made with a Fenix top for a real statement piece that is perfect for the rough and tumble of energetic dinner parties and everyday life.
Mason table
Our Mason extendable tables are strong, hard and durable. With chunky round and straight leg options, the Mason looks robust and is perfect for people who value timeless, classic design. With a hidden butterfly mechanism, simply pull the legs towards you and effortlessly extend to seat more people.
Available in a range of sizes, finishes, materials and colour options – including natural timber, ingenious Fenix, and super-stylish ceramic - our sophisticated Mason table can be tailored to your exact requirements. And it’s built to stand up to the reality of daily life, with completely scratch-proof and easy to clean options available.
Tate table
The extendable Tate table takes modern simplicity to the next level. With clean lines and no unnecessary fuss, the Tate is both authentic and super-stylish.
Tate tabletops are available in warm woods and Fenix (the very latest nanotech matt material for easy cleaning). And the legs come in a stunning selection of metals, including rusted steel and graphite for a striking stripped-back industrial look.
Flow table
Made from 100% solid wood with filled knots, the Flow extending table has a 24mm oak top. Available in natural ‘live’ or straight edge options, the Flow is super-contemporary and super-stylish.
The striking extendable Flow table showcases legs that combine oak and black powder coated metal, with straight and U-shape options available. So, for a unique design feature that is sure to wow, the Flow has what it takes.
The very best extending dining tables. Only from Adventures in Furniture
Why buy pre-designed when you can create a bespoke dining table that will stand out and perfectly fit into your home?
At Adventures in Furniture, our beautiful, extendable dining tables are as distinct as you are. And. once we have helped you to create the perfect piece for you, we’ll get it delivered and installed in your home in a matter of weeks.
It really is that easy.
This article is going to look at how you can make money on the Internet using a cash back website and online gambling. The site Quidco.com is not affiliated with ImAFish in any way and your personal experiences may not reflect that of mine.
Gambling is one of Britain’s favourite pass times as well as being a lucrative business. It’s not uncommon to hear in the news how gambling has ruined peoples lives or is a sin. The truth is that if done carefully gambling on the Internet can make you some cash as well as being a lot of fun. Don’t expect millions but a few hundred £££ or thousand isn’t too hard to achieve.
The website Quidco.com is a cash back website; basically you buy your goods or services by clicking a link to their site through Quidco. For example I want to buy a DVD, I find the DVD on play.com, go to Quidco, click the play.com link, buy my DVD then earn 2% back. This may not sound much but I recently brought a laptop off Dell through Quidco earning me almost £20 back, if you do it for everything you buy it will soon mount up. 
Quidco has thousands of affiliates including insurance, supermarkets, holidays and mobile services. The reason companies make cash back available to Quidco is because it comes from their marketing budget. Companies know that they have to spend a certain amount per customer to attract them in, so one way to attract new customers is to offer incentives through sites like Quidco.The real money making through Quidco is done through online gambling sites.
A lot of the Gambling offers will give you between £10 - £70 in cash back if you spend and gamble a certain amount (normally between £5 - £20), so instantly you have made the difference in profit. They can do this because getting you signed up on their website is much more important than your initial spend, they have the idea that once you are signed up (and maybe win) that you will go back again and spend more money.
The trick here is to have the discipline not too! Sign up to the website, wager the required amount (hopefully make some money) then withdraw it into your account. The cash back might not sound much for signing up but once you have done a few of these offers they soon mount up. (The offers change all the time the best I got was £70 for signing up and spending £10). Also if you wager your money on simple games such as roulette the chances are that you will be able to win some money back.So to recap, you click a link through Quidco, wager the required amount (say £10) then get cash back (say £20) instantly making a profit (£10 in this example). While you wager that required amount (our £10) you have a chance of making more money (as you are gambling it on games like roulette or bingo).A good site to start off with is Cyberslotz.
1. Sign up to Quidco.
2. Search for Cyberslotz (£20 cash back) in Quidco.
3. Sign up then deposit £5.
4. Immediately withdraw that £5 as you are given a £5 bonus. So you have got your £20 in cash back then have got £5 to play with (you can’t withdraw this bonus).
5. Now play any game you fancy, I recommend roulette as it’s easy to learn and quite easy to win on.
6. Hopefully you will win and will be able to withdraw more money.It will probably have taken you 20-30mins to do this but hopefully you have had some fun and made a bit of money in cash back. Now go back to Quidco and look under sports and leisure for other online gambling sites to sign up and make some money with. The more you sign up to and gamble with the more you are likely to win higher amounts on.
Cash back will often take 2-3 months to come through as Quidco has to get this money off the website and put it into your account. Payments are then made monthly into a PayPal account (so you need to sign up with PayPal too).From my personal experience I have made a couple hundred £££ in cash back then a further few hundred £££ from winning on online gambling sites. I seem to be especially lucky with bingo and it’s always good fun.
Remember if you win a bit of money just withdraw it, these sites are designed so that the chances of you making any real money are really low. It’s like playing the lottery, the actual chances of you getting the jackpot is so small yet still millions of people play it every week.With most of these sites once you deposit £5 or £10 you are making this back in cash back so you’re not actually playing with your own money. It’s a very easy way to make money online and have a bit of fun in the process.Post below any questions or how much you have made (pls dontate me a propotion of the winnings!)
If you like this article you can also make good money through Adsense.Read part 2 of this article >>