This post explains how we implemented the Automatic Platform Optimization for WordPress. In doing so, we have defined a new place to run WordPress plugins, at the edge written with Cloudflare Workers. We provide the feature as a Cloudflare service but what’s exciting is that anyone could build this using the Workers platform.

The service is an evolution of the ideas explained in an earlier zero-config edge caching of HTML blog post. The post will explain how Automatic Platform Optimization combines the best qualities of the regular Cloudflare cache with Workers KV to improve cache cold starts globally.

The optimization will work both with and without the Cloudflare for WordPress pluginintegration. Not only have we provided a zero config edge HTML caching solution but by using the Workers platform we were also able to improve the performance of Google font loading for all pages.

We are launching the feature first for WordPress specifically but the concept can be applied to any website and/or content management system (CMS).

A new place to run WordPress plugins?

There are many individual WordPress plugins for performance that use similar optimizations to existing Cloudflare services. Automatic Platform Optimization is bringing them all together into one easy to use solution, deployed at the edge.

Traditionally you have to maintain server plugins with your WordPress installation. This comes with maintenance costs and can require a deep understanding of how to fine tune performance and security for each and every plugin. Providing the optimizations on the client side can also lead to performance problems due to the costs of JavaScript execution. In contrast most of the optimizations could be built-in in Cloudflare’s edge rather than running on the server or the client. Automatic Platform Optimization will be always up to date with the latest performance and security best practices.

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