You should use Cloudflare to cache your entire WordPress website, rather than just static assets like photos, CSS, and JavaScript files. Thus, you can use Cloudflare to host your website if the majority of its content is static and doesn’t change frequently. Cloudflare can function as a second hosting provider, caching your primary web server for lightning-fast performance when used with Cloudflare Cache Reserve.
In this article:
Super Page Cache for Cloudflare Plugin Features
- Works with Cloudflare Cache Everything Page Rule
- Cache Buster Support
- Page Caching using Cloudflare Worker
- Fallback Cache
- Auto Purge
- Ability to purge only HTML pages
- Cache Preloader
- Ability to auto-purge Varnish cache, OPcache & object cache
- Auto-prefetch URLs
- Export/Import plugin settings
- Ability to exclude pages
- Integration to the host’s internal server caching
- Integration with eCommerce systems
- Integration to 3rd-party plugins
- Detailed FAQ
How does the plugin work?
The Super Page Cache for Cloudflare plugin utilizes the free Cloudflare plan for page caching without requiring a paid Cloudflare account, but advanced features like image optimization and WAF come with the Cloudflare Pro plan.
It enables page caching via the “Cache Everything” page rule or Cloudflare Worker, offering a clean caching solution for logged-in users. By leveraging Cloudflare’s fast cache, it significantly enhances WordPress website response times and conserves bandwidth.
Users can customize the Cloudflare Worker code for advanced functionality. Overall, it provides an accessible solution for optimizing website performance without the need for costly plans, offering a viable alternative to the Enterprise plan.
Step 1: Download the Super Page Cache for Cloudflare Plugin
You can manually set up Cloudflare to cache your WordPress website, but it’s far simpler to utilize a plugin that will handle all the worst-case scenarios and allow you to use the non-cached version of your site if you’d like. Super Page Cache for Cloudflare, formerly known as WP Cloudflare Page Cache, is the greatest plugin for that.
After downloading the plugin, select “Settings -> Super Page Cache for Cloudflare” to see the settings panel.
Step 2: Get Your Global API Key for Cloudflare
For the plugin to automatically maintain the interface between your website and Cloudflare, it requires the Global API key. Get this by logging into your Cloudflare dashboard, selecting “My Profile” from the menu on the top-right, and then clicking the profile icon as seen here:
Now select “API Tokens” from the menu on the right, look for “Global API Key,” and select “View”:
On the next screen, you will need to confirm your Cloudflare password and pass a Turnstile test. When that is complete, Cloudflare will show you the global API key. The sensitivity of this key is very high. Never show it to unauthorized people.
Return to the Super Page Cache for the Cloudflare settings page after copying this key. Click “API Key” under “Authentication Mode,” select your Cloudflare email address, and then enter the mentioned Global API Key in the box provided, as displayed here:
To enable Cloudflare caching for WordPress, scroll down, choose the domain name, and then save your settings.
Step 3: Turn on caching and check manually
After completing the configuration and saving your changes, you may toggle the orange buttons at the top of the settings screen to enable and disable the Cloudflare cache for WordPress. They look like this:
Additionally, you may click the “Test Cache” button to make sure everything is working as it should.
And you’re set!
Step 4: Set Up Cloudflare WordPress Cache with Default Settings
The Super Page Cache for Cloudflare plugin has some decent default settings. However, you may fine-tune the experience and add more options by clicking the “Cache” tab. When we purge updated pages, we simply purge HTML assets because, after making changes to a post, there is no need to reset the cache for all static files.
Fallback Page Caching is another option that you may set up. This will save copies of your pages on your server. This is comparable to standard WP caching plugins such as W3 Total Cache. You can customize the preloading of purged pages according to your preferences, among other advanced options.
Verify Cloudflare WordPress Page Cache is working
First, load a page in the browser to “prime” the cache before attempting to test whether Cloudflare is caching your WordPress pages. Next, select the “Network” tab to access your browser’s development tools by hitting the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Shift + C.”
All of the resources that the browser has loaded ought to be visible when you reload your page. Your page URL will be the first one. After selecting it, check the “Response Headers” as indicated below on the right-hand side:
As can be seen above, a new response header with the name “cf-cache-status” and the value “HIT” should be present.
This shows that Cloudflare is using its cache to serve this page.
Lightning-quick Response Times for the WordPress Cache on Cloudflare
We use Cloudflare Analytics to measure page speeds instead of Google Analytics to test response times.
As you can see, our website typically respond to requests from WordPress pages in under 15 milliseconds, thanks to Cloudflare.
That outperforms both standard caching plugins and web hosting. You may even set up Cloudflare to serve outdated content from the cache while it fetches the most recent asset from the origin server to increase speed.
Checking Your Page’s Non-Cached Versions
To avoid Cloudflare’s cache and view the non-cached version of your website, add the query string
"?swcfpc=1" For instance, to view the uncached version of this URL:
https://www.example.comChange it to:
https://www.example.com/?swcfpc=1This will load the “actual” page and modify all of the page’s links to include the query parameter, allowing you to view your website’s non-cached version without having to add the query every time.
Using Cloudflare Workers for WordPress Caching in Superpage Cache for Cloudflare
You can allow Cloudflare workers to handle WordPress caching in the Super Page Cache for Cloudflare settings.
It is a different way to do the same thing, but in my opinion, there are not many advantages. Furthermore, Cloudflare Workers are not totally free; there is a sizable free tier, but after that point, you are charged for usage.
If you are unable to get the default settings to function, I advise you to utilize Workers for Cloudflare caching. Instead of requiring you to change the cache-control headers, Super Page Cache for Cloudflare does it automatically.
Why not use Cloudflare’s “APO” for WordPress caching?
Were you aware that Cloudflare offers a proprietary WordPress caching solution?
The term for it is Automated Platform Optimization for WordPress, or “APO.” This is the location on the Cloudflare dashboard where you can enable it:
The biggest drawback to the Cloudflare APO solution is that it is not nearly as flexible as the Super Page Cache for Cloudflare plugin, and it has issues with cookies.
The developers of this plugin do not frequently use WordPress, and they do not reply very well to criticism.
The fact that the Cloudflare APO platform is exclusive to paying customers is its second flaw. Since we have a Pro Cloudflare subscription, we are not affected by this, but most individuals aren’t.
Furthermore, when a better product is offered for free, why would you choose to use the lesser one?
Integrate with Cloudflare Cache Reserve
Full-page caching on Cloudflare is now even more appealing with the launch of Cloudflare Cache Reserve.
Usually, if you have no visitors for 2 days, Cloudflare will disregard your cache retention restrictions.
But all CDNs have such limitations, so it was not just Cloudflare that did this. For your site’s “long-tail” material, this was awful. However, your content is permanently stored on Cloudflare’s R2 storage when you use Cloudflare Cache Reserve.
Although the capacity limits are high, the service is essentially free for small and medium-sized websites. Your whole WordPress website may now function as a second web server and live continuously on Cloudflare when combined with the Super Page Cache for Cloudflare plugin!
Conclusion
For years, we have been utilizing Cloudflare WordPress caching, all because of the Super Page Cache for Cloudflare plugin.
This trend is only going to get stronger with Cache Reserve. Although this is bad news for premium hosting companies, it is a fantastic opportunity to democratize page speed worldwide.
If you ever run into any speed bumps or need to fine-tune your WordPress site for optimal performance, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to lend a hand and keep your website running smoothly.
Are you looking for Professional help connecting your website to Cloudflare? Please feel free to contact us here.
FAQs about Super Page Cache for Cloudflare
Does Super Page Cache for Cloudflare also perform CSS and Javascript optimization?
No, this is a caching plugin. To perform other page optimizations, you can use it together with other performance plugins.
The purpose of this plugin is to get you the lowest possible response times (TTFB) by using Cloudflare as a page caching system, while maintaining full control of the cache.
What is Fallback Cache?
Fallback Cache is an option to generate static HTML version of the website inside your server. This is a great option and can increase your site speed dramatically.
The way Cloudflare works is that it will only cache a page to it’s global CDN network if it has received any request for those pages. So, if you don’t have fallback cache, for the first few requests, your server will be executing the pages and sending the HTML to the user, which increases slowness and latency.
What is Super Page Cache for Cloudflare Preloader?
The SPCFC preloader is a basic background-running crawler that attempts to preload sites for instant caching.
After the preloader is activated, you must choose which preloading logic to utilize from the options provided. A variety of alternatives are available for selection (sitemaps, WordPress menus, recently published posts, etc.).
