High CPU Usage Caused by WordPress
High CPU Usage Caused by WordPress
Category: Web Applications
Overview
WordPress is a popular content management system written in PHP, meaning it dynamically generates web content. This process can consume significant server resources, especially during high traffic or inefficient plugin use.
Reasons for High CPU Usage
- Too Many Requests: High traffic or illegitimate requests can overwhelm the server, leading to increased CPU usage.
- Slow Plugin Performance: Inefficient or numerous plugins can slow down request processing, increasing server load.
Analyzing the Problem
To locate the cause, check the Statistics block on your hosting control panel to find the most visited WordPress site. Use Web Statistics and MySQL Stats to identify resource-intensive traffic patterns.
Solving the Problem
To mitigate high CPU usage:
- Install a cache plugin like W3 Total Cache, which also supports Memcached for additional optimization.
- Use the Query Monitor plugin to debug database queries, PHP errors, and more.
- Block malicious bots using Wordfence, which provides firewall protection and malware scanning.
For more tips, check out the WordPress Optimization Guide.
Tags: bad bots, cache plugin, dynamic content, Memcached, MySQL Stats, performance optimization, PHP scripts, plugin inefficiency, Query Monitor, server resources, W3 Total Cache, web requests, web statistics, website performance, Wordfence, WordPress high CPU usage, WordPress security