Optimizing WordPress database is a very important task. Over time, your database starts to grow larger in size. Thus, you must clean and optimize database frequently to boost performance and great user experience.
In this article, we’ll cover a detailed guide on how to optimize your WordPress database.
Database is used for storing data of websites such as posts, pages, comments etc. The size of database gradually increases in size with passing time. This result in a significant decrease in the performance efficiency of your website.
It takes considerably more time to extract data from larger size database. The presence of unwanted data in database can slow down your website and negatively affect user experience. That’s why you should clean and optimize database of your WordPress website.
Optimising database helps to run the system smoothly while making the size of database table smaller. It also help you to free space in memory and increase performance. Additionally, it improves user-experience and decrease bounce rate.
Before starting, it’s highly recommended to backup your WordPress database so that you can restore your website in case anything goes wrong.
Now that you have created backup, it’s time to to optimize WordPress database. To do so, there are various methods but in this article, we will explain two methods:
If you are a beginner then we recommend you to optimize your WordPress database by using a plugin. It’s one of the easiest ways to clean and optimize database. The best plugin for this purpose is wp-optimize. It is a popular plugin for database optimization as well as image compression.
At first, you need to install and activate the plugin. Once activated, you’ll see the wp-optimization at the menu bar. Click on it then you’ll be taken to plugin’s settings page. Now carefully review the list of operation that wp-optimization will perform and uncheck any unwanted operation. After that click on the run all selected optimisation button at the top.
You can perform this operation in regular interval of time to speed up your website.
The use of plugins for even small purpose can slow down your website. It’s risky to use of plugin for maintenance of WordPress database from security poin of view. In such a case, you can use this method to optimize WordPress database. It is most effective way to optimise WordPress database.
That’s it! You have successfully clean and optimized database.
There’s another alternative.
First of all, back up your website. It gives you the possibility to restore it anytime if there is any trouble. Note, that in case you are going to learn how to work with the database, it is essential to always back up your site. When the backup is ready, do not be afraid of making a mistake, as there is a copy of your website content you created before.
After this, navigate to “Plugins” tab in WordPress dashboard which is located on the right and press “Add new”. Your guess is right, we need to add a plugin which is called “WP-Optimize”.
Type this name in search fields and click “Install” button, then “Activate”.
Once it is installed an activated, you are able to find an extra tab on the right tool bard in WordPress admin panel. It is named “WP-Optimize”, the same as the plugin you installed. Let’s try to open it.
Find the options available to optimize your database. Some of them are selected automatically that gives you a hint of unnecessary data which obtains space.
It influences website performance for sure. It means that it is better to clear it. Some options are marked in red. That should stop you from removing those files. scroll down to a warning which is related directly to red-marked options.
It explains why it is not recommended to erase this data, so better to leave it as it is.
You may delete essential database parts. However, if you are a specialist in this subject, feel free to try. You created backup anyway.
Press “Run all selected optimizations” button. Once it has been successfully finished, you will see a notification about it. Congratulations! These 10 minutes of your life have been spent as of a professional WordPress person. You can be proud of it!
Cart Geek as a WordPress Development Agency can help you with optimization of database.