WordPress recently unveiled the Performance Lab plugin, designed by the WordPress performance team to enhance the speed of WordPress sites. This plugin allows publishers to benefit from new improvements before they are integrated into the WordPress core.
The WordPress performance team, comprising core developers from WordPress, created the plugin to gather feedback on new features slated for future WordPress versions.
WordPress Performance Team
Formed in November 2021, the WordPress Performance Team aims to coordinate and improve performance within the WordPress core. The team includes developers from WordPress, Google, and Yoast. One of their initial projects resulted in the creation of the Performance Lab Plugin.
Performance Lab Plugin
The Performance Lab plugin offers enhancements that can help speed up websites and diagnose potential performance issues. It is modular, allowing publishers to select specific improvements according to their needs. These new features are intended to be included in future WordPress releases.
Performance Lab Plugin Modules
The plugin includes four modules:
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WebP Uploads:
Converts newly uploaded JPEG files to the WebP format, provided the server supports WebP. -
WebP Support:
A site health module that checks for server support for WebP and issues a warning if it is not supported. -
Persistent Object Cache Health Check:
Suggests the use of object caching, a method to speed up site response time, reduce database load, and enhance user experience. - Audit Enqueued Assets (experimental):
Audits CSS and JavaScript files enqueued on the homepage to identify unnecessary files that might be slowing down the website.
Enqueued Assets Module is Experimental?
The Audit Enqueued Assets module is marked as experimental. Developers acknowledge that while the module works, it needs further refinement and improvements. For example, it could be more useful if it identified which plugins or themes are adding unnecessary CSS and JavaScript files.
Should You Download the Plugin?
The plugin’s download page suggests that it is stable and safe to use on live production sites, except for modules labeled experimental. The primary aim is to gather user feedback on the modules before integrating them into the WordPress core.
Stability and Risk
While the plugin is considered stable, WordPress advises users to proceed at their own risk. It recommends adding new plugins to a staging site and testing them before updating the main website and saving a backup of the website before installation.
The Performance Lab plugin offers significant benefits for speeding up websites and provides a way for the WordPress Performance Team to receive valuable feedback.
WordPress has provided a Performance Lab plugin support forum and a GitHub repository for feedback.
Citations
Read the Official WordPress Announcement
The Performance Lab plugin has been released.
Visit the Performance Lab Plugin Download Page
Performance Lab
Visit the Official Performance Lab GitHub page
Performance Lab 1.0.0-beta.1
