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FastCGI caching makes Nginx save the HTML response generated by WordPress and serve that response without starting PHP for every anonymous page view. A safe setup has three parts: a cache path and key in the http {} block, cache directives in the PHP location, and bypass rules for logged-in, state-changing, cookie-bearing, or otherwise personalized requests. Test with an anonymous URL twice—expect a MISS followed by a HIT—then verify that publishing and editing content trigger a protected purge.
What FastCGI caching does in a WordPress request
When a visitor requests a WordPress page, Nginx normally passes the request to PHP-FPM through FastCGI. WordPress runs PHP, queries the database, builds HTML, and returns it to Nginx. FastCGI caching stores that generated response in an Nginx cache zone. A later request that has the same cache key can be answered directly by Nginx, reducing PHP and database work. As the WordPress Advanced Administration Handbook puts it, Nginx can cache at its own end to reduce server load.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThis is a page cache, not an object cache and not a change to WordPress PHP code. It sits between Nginx and PHP-FPM. Public pages are good candidates; an account page containing one user’s data is not. The central safety rule is that a response must never be reused for a different user or a request that changes data.
The request flow
- Nginx receives the URL and evaluates the method, query string, path, headers, and cookies.
- If bypass rules match, Nginx sends the request to PHP and does not serve or store a cached response.
- Otherwise Nginx looks up the configured cache key.
- A cache HIT is returned without running WordPress. A MISS is passed to PHP-FPM, and the eligible response is stored for its configured lifetime.
Prerequisites and decisions before editing Nginx
- You need Nginx serving the site and PHP-FPM available through a FastCGI socket or TCP address.
- You need permission to edit the active Nginx configuration, test it, reload the service, and inspect its error and access logs.
- The cache directory must exist, be writable by the Nginx worker account, and have enough free disk space.
- Identify the server block and the PHP
locationthat actually handles WordPress requests. Editing an unused file has no effect. - List plugins that add sessions, carts, membership data, language selection, previews, search, or other per-request output. Their cookies and routes must be included in your bypass policy.
Make a backup of the active configuration before changing it. If a hosting provider does not grant Nginx or PHP-FPM access, use its documented cache controls or a managed WordPress plan that explicitly supports Nginx FastCGI configuration; do not paste server directives into WordPress.
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Choose a cache policy that cannot leak personalized pages
Start conservatively. Cache successful public responses, leave redirects uncached until you understand your canonical and language behavior, and let application response headers influence storage. The following policy is a practical baseline; adapt it to the routes and plugins on your site.
| Request or response | Baseline action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous GET or HEAD for a public page | Allow lookup and storage | These requests can share the same public HTML. |
| POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, or another state-changing method | Bypass and do not store | The request may change data or carry a body that must not be replayed. |
| Logged-in or commenter cookies | Bypass and do not store | The response can contain account or user-specific information. |
| WordPress administration, login, previews, feeds, XML-RPC, REST, or cron endpoints | Bypass unless you have deliberately designed a separate policy | These routes are operational, private, or frequently dynamic. |
| Query-string requests | Bypass initially | Parameters can represent search, tracking, filters, language, or personalization. Add a narrowly reviewed allow-list later if needed. |
| Responses setting a session cookie or declaring a varying representation | Do not store unless audited | Cookies and Vary can indicate that one response is not safe for all visitors. |
| Cart, checkout, account, membership, or other session routes | Bypass and do not store | These pages depend on a visitor’s state. |
Step 1: find the active PHP location
Inspect the Nginx configuration included by the running service and locate a block similar to location ~ [.]php$. Confirm its fastcgi_pass points to the PHP-FPM instance serving this WordPress installation. Keep the existing include files and security checks unless you know why they can be changed.
On a test system, you can ask Nginx to print its expanded configuration with the distribution’s usual command, often nginx -T. On production, use the provider’s supported method if that command is restricted. The important result is the file and server block that receive the real request.
Step 2: define the cache path, zone, key, and bypass maps in http {}
fastcgi_cache_path creates the on-disk cache hierarchy and shared-memory zone. The cache key below keeps the scheme, host, and complete requested URI together. Because the policy permits only GET and HEAD, those two methods intentionally share a representation; if your application needs method-specific variants, include the method in the key and reproduce that exact choice in purge logic.
# Put these directives inside the top-level http { } block
fastcgi_cache_path /var/cache/nginx/wordpress levels=1:2 keys_zone=WORDPRESS:100m inactive=60m max_size=1g;
fastcgi_cache_key "$scheme://$host$request_uri";
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-json/ 1;
~^/feed 1;
}
map $http_cookie $skip_cookie {
default 0;
~*wordpress_logged_in_ 1;
~*wordpress_no_cache 1;
~*wp-postpass_ 1;
~*comment_author 1;
~*woocommerce_items_in_cart 1;
~*woocommerce_cart_hash 1;
~*wp_woocommerce_session_ 1;
}
map $http_authorization $skip_authorization {
default 1;
"" 0;
}Choose cache-size and inactivity values for your disk rather than copying them blindly. The example’s 100m, 60m, and 1g are configuration examples, not a universal capacity recommendation. The Nginx worker must be able to create and update files below /var/cache/nginx/wordpress. If the directory is on a separate volume, monitor that volume’s free space.
The URI map follows the WordPress handbook’s conservative exclusions. A plugin may add routes that are just as dynamic; add them before enabling the cache. The cookie map includes common WordPress and WooCommerce indicators, but your site may use different names. A cookie that identifies a session, membership, cart, language, preview, or experiment should be treated as a reason to investigate bypass behavior.
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Step 3: enable caching in the PHP location
Add the cache directives to the PHP location that handles WordPress. Keep the site’s existing PHP version and socket; the socket shown here is only an example. Both fastcgi_cache_bypass and fastcgi_no_cache are set to the same conditions for a clear policy: bypass prevents serving an existing entry, while no-cache prevents storing the new response.
location ~ [.]php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
include fastcgi_params;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.2-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_cache WORDPRESS;
fastcgi_cache_methods GET HEAD;
fastcgi_cache_valid 200 10m;
fastcgi_cache_bypass $skip_method $skip_query $skip_uri $skip_cookie $skip_authorization;
fastcgi_no_cache $skip_method $skip_query $skip_uri $skip_cookie $skip_authorization;
add_header X-FastCGI-Cache $upstream_cache_status always;
}fastcgi_cache_valid 200 10m caches only successful responses for ten minutes in this example. You can add status-specific policies after observing the application, but do not assume that every redirect or error is safe to retain. A short initial TTL makes testing and rollback easier; freshness after an edit should come from a purge integration rather than from waiting for an arbitrary long expiry.
The temporary X-FastCGI-Cache header exposes Nginx’s upstream status, such as MISS or HIT, to make verification straightforward. It is useful while testing, but you may remove it or restrict it before exposing internal cache details publicly.
Step 4: understand the bypass conditions
Methods
The method map returns 0 only for GET and HEAD. Nginx treats a non-zero value as a match for the bypass and no-cache directives. This prevents a POST, comment submission, login attempt, or other state-changing request from reading or populating the page cache.
Query strings
The query-string map bypasses every request with arguments. That covers search, previews, tracking parameters, filters, and plugin-specific controls without requiring you to know every parameter in advance. If analytics parameters create needless misses, normalize them only after confirming that removing them cannot alter content or access control. Keep preview and cache-control parameters excluded.
Cookies and authorization
The documented Nginx conditions include cookies, authorization headers, Pragma, and arguments such as nocache or comment. You can add those explicitly:
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fastcgi_cache_bypass $cookie_nocache $arg_nocache $arg_comment $http_pragma $http_authorization;
fastcgi_no_cache $cookie_nocache $arg_nocache $arg_comment $http_pragma $http_authorization;Use these alongside the maps, or fold equivalent signals into one map so the policy is easy to audit. The Nginx FastCGI module documentation defines fastcgi_cache_bypass as a condition that prevents a cached response from being served and fastcgi_no_cache as a condition that prevents a response from being stored.
Paths and plugin behavior
Administration and login paths are obvious exclusions, but dynamic output can also appear on a normal-looking page. WooCommerce carts, checkout and account screens, membership dashboards, multilingual selectors, personalized recommendations, and preview URLs should bypass the cache. Test the actual cookies and routes generated by each plugin instead of relying on a generic list.
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Step 5: validate syntax and reload safely
- Confirm that the cache directory exists and is writable by the Nginx worker account. Correct ownership and permissions using your operating system’s service conventions.
- Run
nginx -t. Do not reload if the test reports an error; fix the first reported file, line, or directive and test again. - After a successful test, reload Nginx using the service manager supported by your system. A reload applies the new configuration without needlessly stopping active connections.
- Watch the Nginx error log during the first requests. Permission errors, an invalid PHP-FPM socket, and unsupported directives appear there quickly.
The fastcgi_cache_purge directive is not present in every Nginx build. Treat an unknown-directive error as a build or module limitation, not as a reason to remove access controls from a substitute purge endpoint.
Verify that public pages HIT and private pages bypass
Use a URL that is publicly accessible and has no query string. Send two anonymous GET requests with a tool such as your browser’s network panel or an HTTP client. The first request should show X-FastCGI-Cache: MISS; the next should show HIT while the entry remains valid. If the header is absent, confirm that the PHP location handled the request and that the response header was not removed by another server block or proxy.
- Repeat the request with a logged-in browser. It must not receive the anonymous cached HTML.
- Submit a comment or another POST request and confirm that it is not cached.
- Open a preview, search URL, feed, REST endpoint, XML-RPC endpoint, and any route with a query string.
- For stores, exercise cart, checkout, account, and session creation. For membership sites, test both anonymous and authenticated roles.
- Inspect the cache directory and disk usage while traffic runs; a HIT header alone does not prove that the cache is healthy over time.
Do not test only the home page. A cache policy that works for one static-looking URL can still expose a user-specific response on a route that sets a cookie or varies by language.
Set TTLs and respect response headers
Nginx’s FastCGI cache behavior is affected by response metadata. The module documents processing for X-Accel-Expires, Expires, Cache-Control, Set-Cookie, and Vary. A WordPress plugin or PHP application can therefore shorten, disable, or vary caching through its headers. Read those headers before changing the policy.
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A response that sets Set-Cookie deserves particular caution: it may be establishing a session, not producing reusable public HTML. Do not add fastcgi_ignore_headers Set-Cookie or similar overrides merely to increase the hit rate. Such an override is appropriate only after an application-level privacy and session audit. The same caution applies to ignoring Vary or cache-control directives.
Start with a modest success-response TTL and measure origin PHP load, cache hits, and content freshness. Increase the lifetime only when purge automation and plugin behavior are understood. A longer TTL without reliable invalidation makes stale content persist longer after an edit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Purge cached pages when WordPress content changes
Expiration alone is a poor publishing workflow: readers may continue to receive an old page until its TTL ends. WordPress recommends integrating a purge mechanism such as the Nginx Helper plugin when edits must invalidate page cache. Connect the integration to post publication, update, deletion, and relevant taxonomy changes, then verify that the next anonymous request contains the new content.
Nginx builds that support fastcgi_cache_purge can remove entries by key. The purge location must be protected, and the key expression must be exactly the same as the one used for storage. If the stored key is $scheme://$host$request_uri, a purge implementation must use that same expression for the target URL—not a shortened path that could collide across hosts or schemes.
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location = /internal-cache-purge {
allow 127.0.0.1;
deny all;
fastcgi_cache_purge WORDPRESS "$scheme://$host$arg_purge_uri";
}This endpoint is intentionally restricted to localhost in the example. A remotely reachable purge URL can be abused to evict the entire cache or probe site behavior. If a trusted deployment system must call it remotely, restrict by network, authentication, method, and rate, and ensure the purge argument cannot be used to target another host. If your Nginx package lacks the purge directive, use the supported integration’s invalidation method or safely remove cache files during maintenance; never expose an unprotected substitute.
When the cache key includes a method, language dimension, or other variant, purge every corresponding key. A key that collapses distinct hosts, schemes, or representations can serve the wrong page; a key that distinguishes variants requires equally complete invalidation.
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Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Every request is a MISS | A bypass variable is always non-zero, the response is not status 200, or the PHP location is not using the cache zone. | Inspect the request method, query string, cookies, response status, active server block, and nginx -T output. Temporarily log the skip variables. |
| Every request is a HIT, including logged-in pages | Authentication cookies or authorization headers are not included in bypass rules, or a proxy is serving another cache. | Test with a logged-in session, add the site’s actual cookie names, and identify which layer adds the response header. |
| Cache files are not created | The directory is missing, not writable, full, or the response is marked uncacheable. | Check worker ownership, permissions, disk space, response headers, and the error log. |
| Nginx refuses to reload | Syntax error, directive in the wrong context, invalid socket, or unsupported purge directive. | Run nginx -t and fix the first reported error. fastcgi_cache_path and maps belong in http {}; cache activation belongs in the PHP location. |
| Changes do not appear after publishing | The old entry is still within its TTL, or the purge integration did not run or used a different key. | Check the publishing hook, purge logs, host and scheme in the key, and the next request’s content and status. |
| Wrong language, host, or scheme is displayed | The cache key omits a dimension that changes the response. | Include the required host, scheme, URI, and approved language or device dimension, then purge old entries. |
| Checkout or account data appears on another request | A session route or cookie was cached. | Immediately disable or purge the affected cache, add route and cookie bypass rules, and review logs for exposure. |
Adapt the baseline for real WordPress sites
WooCommerce and stores
Keep cart, checkout, account, order, and session endpoints out of the page cache. Verify the cart and session cookies your installation emits; names can differ by version or extension. Product pages may be public, but a plugin that personalizes prices, stock, or recommendations can make them user-specific.
Membership and community sites
Bypass all authenticated requests and any route that displays profile, subscription, protected download, or member-only data. Test role changes and logout: a cached authenticated response must never survive into an anonymous session.
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If language or device selection changes HTML, represent that dimension in the key or bypass the affected requests. Do not assume that a cookie or header is harmless simply because the URL is unchanged. Purge each variant after a translation or template update.
Search, previews, feeds, and APIs
Search and preview URLs commonly use query arguments and should remain bypassed under the baseline. Feeds, REST responses, and XML-RPC have different freshness and authentication characteristics; leave them uncached until you have a route-specific design and tests.
Operations checklist
- Cache path exists, is writable by Nginx, and has monitored capacity.
- Cache key uniquely identifies the public URL variant and is copied exactly into purge logic.
- Only intended methods and status codes are stored.
- POST, authenticated, cookie-bearing, authorization, query-string, administrative, preview, and session requests bypass.
- Response headers are reviewed; no unsafe
fastcgi_ignore_headersoverrides are present. nginx -tpasses before every reload.- Anonymous requests show MISS then HIT for a public URL.
- Logged-in, comment, search, feed, XML-RPC, REST, cart, checkout, account, membership, and multilingual cases have been exercised.
- Publishing and editing invoke a protected purge integration, and the next anonymous request shows the new content.
- Hit behavior, origin PHP load, disk usage, errors, and stale-content reports are monitored before extending TTLs or enabling stale serving.
FastCGI caching is successful when it is selective rather than maximal: Nginx handles repeatable public HTML, while WordPress continues to generate anything private, state-changing, or variant-dependent. Keep the key, bypass rules, response headers, and purge process aligned, and verify both the fast path and the safety path after every configuration or plugin change.
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