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FastCGI caching lets Nginx save the HTML generated by PHP-FPM and serve repeat requests without running WordPress for every visitor. The result can be lower PHP workload and faster anonymous page delivery, but only when private, state-changing, and session-based requests are excluded.
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This guide shows a conservative setup: define a cache zone in Nginx’s http block, enable it in the WordPress PHP location, bypass unsafe requests, test for a MISS followed by a HIT, and connect publishing events to a protected purge mechanism. WordPress documentation summarizes the benefit plainly: “Nginx can perform caching on its own end to reduce load on your server.” WordPress Advanced Administration Handbook
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What FastCGI caching does in a WordPress stack
A normal uncached WordPress page request travels through Nginx to PHP-FPM, loads WordPress and its plugins, queries the database, renders HTML, and sends the response back through Nginx. FastCGI caching stores that generated response in an Nginx cache zone. A later request for the same cache key can be answered by Nginx without starting another PHP application request.
The cache is configured in Nginx, not in WordPress PHP code. It is most appropriate for public GET and HEAD requests whose output is identical for anonymous visitors. It is not a general-purpose session cache: a logged-in dashboard, a shopping cart, a membership page, a preview, or a form submission can contain user-specific or state-changing data and must bypass the cache.
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Nginx decides whether to serve an existing object with fastcgi_cache_bypass and whether to store a response with fastcgi_no_cache. Those decisions are related but distinct. A request can bypass an existing object, avoid storing its response, or do both. For WordPress, use matching conditions for both directives unless you have a specific reason to separate them.
Prerequisites and decisions before editing Nginx
- Nginx and PHP-FPM: Confirm that the site is actually served by Nginx and that its PHP requests use FastCGI or PHP-FPM. Apache-only or proxy-only configurations need a different cache design.
- Configuration access: You need permission to edit the active Nginx configuration, create a writable cache directory, and reload Nginx. On managed hosting, ask the provider whether custom
fastcgi_cachedirectives and purge hooks are supported. - The active PHP location: Find the
locationblock that handles.phpfiles and containsfastcgi_pass. The cache directives belong in that location, not in a WordPress theme or plugin file. - A policy for variants: Decide whether scheme, host, URI, method, query strings, language, device, or cookies can change the response. Every variation that remains cacheable must be represented in the cache key, or deliberately normalized before caching.
- A freshness policy: Choose a starting TTL for successful public pages and a plan for invalidating objects after edits. A short TTL limits staleness; a purge integration makes publication changes visible promptly.
Define the cache path and key in the http block
fastcgi_cache_path creates the on-disk cache hierarchy and a shared memory zone that tracks keys and metadata. The directory must exist, be writable by the Nginx worker account, and have enough disk space. The following is a starting point; adjust capacity and paths to the server’s filesystem.
http {
fastcgi_cache_path /var/cache/nginx/wordpress
levels=1:2
keys_zone=WORDPRESS:100m
inactive=60m
max_size=2g;
# Additional http-level maps and server blocks follow here.
}levels=1:2 spreads files into subdirectories, keys_zone=WORDPRESS:100m names the shared zone, inactive=60m allows unused objects to expire from the cache, and max_size=2g limits disk usage. These are operational defaults, not measured performance promises. Monitor disk space and hit behavior before changing them.
Set one canonical key expression and use that exact expression wherever you purge. This example preserves the scheme, request method, host, and complete request URI (including its query string):
fastcgi_cache_key "$scheme$request_method$host$request_uri";A key that omits the host can let two virtual hosts collide. Omitting the scheme can mix HTTP and HTTPS variants when both are reachable. Omitting a meaningful URI or query component can serve the wrong page. Conversely, putting a dimension in the key does not make a personalized response safe to cache; the bypass rules still have to exclude it.
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Many WordPress installations deliberately bypass every request with a query string because search, tracking, preview, and plugin parameters can alter output. If you later adopt a documented allow-list of safe parameters, change the policy deliberately and ensure the normalized value is reflected in the key.
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Nginx map directives belong in the http block. They turn request properties into simple flags that can be supplied to both cache directives. This example follows the WordPress handbook’s conservative exclusions for methods, query strings, administrative paths, and common WordPress cookies.
map $request_method $skip_method {
default 1;
GET 0;
HEAD 0;
}
map $query_string $skip_query {
default 1;
"" 0;
}
map $request_uri $skip_uri {
default 0;
~*^/wp-admin/ 1;
~*^/wp-login.php 1;
~*^/wp-cron.php 1;
~*^/xmlrpc.php 1;
~*^/wp-comments-post.php 1;
}
map $http_cookie $skip_cookie {
default 0;
~*wordpress_logged_in 1;
~*wordpress_no_cache 1;
~*wp-postpass 1;
~*comment_author 1;
}
map $http_pragma $skip_pragma {
default 0;
~*no-cache 1;
}The cookie patterns are intentionally broad: a cookie name is a useful signal that the response may be personalized, even when you do not yet know which plugin set it. Add the cookie names used by membership, multilingual, commerce, forum, consent, or other plugins. Test each addition so a harmless analytics cookie does not unnecessarily eliminate all cache hits.
The Nginx FastCGI module documents request arguments such as $arg_nocache and $arg_comment, as well as authorization and pragma headers, as conditions commonly used to bypass or avoid storing cache entries. See the Nginx FastCGI module documentation for directive semantics and variable behavior.
Enable FastCGI caching in the WordPress PHP location
Place the following directives in the same PHP location that already passes requests to PHP-FPM. Keep your site’s existing socket or upstream name if it differs from the example.
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location ~ .php$ {
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_cache WORDPRESS;
fastcgi_cache_methods GET HEAD;
fastcgi_cache_key "$scheme$request_method$host$request_uri";
# Cache successful public pages for ten minutes initially.
fastcgi_cache_valid 200 10m;
# Do not serve an existing object or store a response when any flag is true.
fastcgi_cache_bypass $skip_method $skip_query $skip_uri $skip_cookie $skip_pragma $http_authorization $arg_nocache $arg_comment;
fastcgi_no_cache $skip_method $skip_query $skip_uri $skip_cookie $skip_pragma $http_authorization $arg_nocache $arg_comment;
}The socket path in the example is not universal; use the PHP-FPM socket or upstream already configured on your server. Do not remove required FastCGI parameters from an existing working location merely to add caching. A missing SCRIPT_FILENAME, incorrect socket, or incompatible parameter set can break PHP execution independently of the cache.
fastcgi_cache_methods GET HEAD makes the intended method policy explicit. The map still marks every other method as a skip, so POST requests neither receive a cached object nor populate one. Query-string requests are also skipped by default. If a plugin requires a cacheable query variant, document that exception and test it separately rather than removing the guard globally.
Response headers, cookies, and TTLs
Nginx does not treat a response as an unconditional blob. FastCGI cache behavior is influenced by status-specific TTLs and by response headers including X-Accel-Expires, Expires, Cache-Control, Set-Cookie, and Vary. The module documentation describes how these headers affect storage and expiry.
Start by caching only successful public responses. A rule such as fastcgi_cache_valid 200 10m; avoids committing redirects to a cache policy before you understand canonicalization, language negotiation, and HTTPS behavior. Add status-specific rules only when you have a reason for them, for example a deliberately short lifetime for a public 404. Keep the status and duration together so the policy is readable during troubleshooting.
Do not blindly add fastcgi_ignore_headers Set-Cookie, Cache-Control, or similar overrides. A response that sets a session or personalization cookie is a warning that the application may be generating private content. Ignoring that signal can expose one visitor’s output to another. Audit the application and plugin behavior first, then override a header only with a documented privacy rationale.
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TTL is not a substitute for invalidation. A ten-minute object can remain stale for ten minutes after an edit unless a purge event removes it sooner. Increasing the TTL may reduce origin requests but increases the cost of a missed purge. Observe hit behavior and PHP load before changing TTLs or stale-serving settings.
Test the configuration before and after reload
- Check the cache directory: Create
/var/cache/nginx/wordpressif necessary, assign ownership or permissions that allow the Nginx worker to write there, and verify available disk space. - Validate syntax: Run
nginx -twith the same privileges and configuration path used by your service. Do not reload if the test reports an error. - Reload safely: After a successful test, reload Nginx using your operating system’s service manager. A reload applies the configuration without needlessly stopping active connections.
- Request a public URL anonymously: Use a private browser window or a client with no WordPress login cookies. Request the same page twice, with the same scheme, host, and URI.
- Expose a status signal: Add a temporary response header or log field that records the cache status, for example an
$upstream_cache_statusvalue. Remove or restrict diagnostic headers after verification if they reveal implementation details. - Expect MISS then HIT: The first eligible request normally creates the object and reports a MISS; a subsequent identical request should report a HIT while the object remains valid.
- Test bypass paths: Check a logged-in request, an administrative URL, a POST, a comment submission, a preview, a search request, a feed, XML-RPC, and any URL carrying a session or personalization cookie. These should not receive an anonymous cached page.
A HIT proves only that one public variant works. It does not prove that authenticated users, alternate hosts, query parameters, or plugin routes are safe. Record the exact URL, cookies, method, and scheme for each test so a later configuration change can be compared with the same conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Purge cached pages when WordPress content changes
Waiting for a TTL is simple but can leave a newly published or edited article stale. WordPress recommends integrating a purge mechanism, such as the Nginx Helper approach described in its server documentation. The NGINX community’s WordPress performance guidance also calls the cache key and purge location especially relevant and recommends WordPress Nginx Helper integration: NGINX community WordPress performance guidance.
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Some Nginx builds provide fastcgi_cache_purge; others do not. Confirm that the installed build supports the directive before designing around it. A purge location must be protected from the public Internet and must use the same key expression as the cache. A conceptual location looks like this:
location = /internal-cache-purge {
allow 127.0.0.1;
deny all;
fastcgi_cache_purge WORDPRESS "$scheme$request_method$host$request_uri";
}The exact purge request format depends on the module and integration you install, so treat this as a pattern rather than a drop-in endpoint. Never expose an unauthenticated purge URL: an attacker could repeatedly evict the cache and increase PHP load. If your integration purges by URL, verify that it purges every affected variant, including the canonical host and scheme represented in the key.
After publishing or editing a post, invoke the integration, request the page anonymously, and confirm that the response contains the new content. Also test related pages such as the front page, category archive, tag archive, feeds, and pagination if your integration is expected to invalidate them. A purge that removes only the edited URL may leave an archive showing the old title or excerpt.
Adapt the bypass policy for common WordPress features
WooCommerce and other commerce features
Cart, checkout, account, order, and payment pages are session-based. Exclude their paths and the cookies created by the commerce plugin. A product detail page may be public, but test it for currency, country, stock, pricing, and logged-in variations before caching it.
Membership, forums, and private content
Membership plugins often use cookies or authorization headers that are not covered by the basic WordPress list. Add their cookies and private URL prefixes to the bypass maps. Test an anonymous browser and two different authenticated accounts; neither account should receive the other account’s page.
Search, previews, feeds, and APIs
Search results commonly use query strings, which the conservative map already bypasses. Preview links, feeds, REST endpoints, and XML-RPC can have different freshness and authentication requirements. Keep them out of the page cache unless the plugin documentation and your tests establish a safe, separate policy.
Multilingual and device-specific output
If language or device is selected by host, path, cookie, or Vary behavior, ensure that the cache key and bypass rules distinguish those variants. A single key for all languages or devices can return valid HTML for the wrong audience.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot misses, stale pages, and unsafe hits
| Symptom | Likely checks | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| Every request is a MISS | The URL has a query string, a skip cookie, an authorization header, or a non-GET method; the cache zone is not attached to the active PHP location; or the response sets a header that prevents storage. | Inspect the configured status variable and Nginx logs, then test a clean anonymous GET with no query string. Confirm that the location handling the request contains fastcgi_cache WORDPRESS. |
| The cache directory stays empty | The directory is missing or not writable by the Nginx worker, the response is bypassed, or the configured PHP location is not the one serving the URL. | Check ownership and permissions, disk space, skip variables, and the loaded configuration shown by your Nginx diagnostic command. |
| A logged-in visitor sees an anonymous page | The login cookie name is not matched, the request is reaching a different location, or the cache key is shared with a personalized route. | Expand cookie and path exclusions, test with the actual cookie header, and ensure both fastcgi_cache_bypass and fastcgi_no_cache receive the skip conditions. |
| A new post does not appear | The object is still within its TTL, the purge integration did not run, or only one URL was purged while an archive remained cached. | Run the protected purge workflow, verify its key and permissions, then test the post and every page type your publishing workflow should invalidate. |
| Different hosts or schemes show the wrong page | The cache key omits $host or $scheme, or the purge key differs from the storage key. |
Use one canonical expression in both places and redirect non-canonical hosts before caching. |
| Nginx fails to reload | A directive is outside its valid context, the cache module is unavailable, or a map or regular expression has a syntax error. | Run nginx -t, read the reported file and line, and confirm module support before trying another reload. |
Operational checklist
- Cache only public GET and HEAD responses that are safe to share.
- Keep the cache key unique for every public URL variant and copy it exactly into purge logic.
- Use both bypass and no-cache conditions for methods, query strings, administrative paths, authorization, and personalization cookies.
- Let authoritative response headers control freshness unless you have audited the application before overriding them.
- Protect purge endpoints and verify that the installed Nginx build supports the purge directive you plan to use.
- After every configuration change, run
nginx -t, reload only after it passes, and repeat anonymous MISS/HIT and authenticated-bypass tests. - Monitor cache status, disk usage, PHP load, and post-publication freshness before adopting longer TTLs or more permissive rules.
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