Optimising WordPress Performance with LiteSpeed & OPcache in cPanel

Building the ultimate performance stack for WordPress requires optimising two entirely different layers of your website: the page layer and the code layer.

At UpTime Web Hosting, our infrastructure utilises LiteSpeed Web Server and PHP OPcache simultaneously. These two systems do not conflict; instead, they complement each other to drastically reduce page loading times and lower your account's resource consumption.

• LiteSpeed Cache (LSCache): Operates at the server level to handle the page layer. It saves fully generated HTML copies of your public WordPress pages. When a visitor arrives, LiteSpeed serves this HTML instantly, completely bypassing PHP execution and database queries.
• PHP OPcache: Operates at the code layer. When a page cannot be cached (such as the WordPress admin dashboard, a shopping cart, or a user profile), PHP must process the backend scripts. OPcache stores precompiled script bytecode in the server’s memory, ensuring PHP executes significantly faster.

Follow the steps below to enable and verify this high-performance stack on your account.

You must enable OPcache directly through your hosting account's PHP settings to speed up non-cached backend operations.

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. Scroll down to the Software section and click on Select PHP Version.
3. Click on the Extensions tab at the top of the page.
4. Locate opcache in the list and check the box next to it to enable it.
5. (Note) If you see apcu, leave it unchecked. You should only use one opcode cacher at a time.

To deploy server-level page caching, you need to authorise it via cPanel and link it to your WordPress site via a plugin.

1. Go back to your cPanel home screen.
2. Under the Advanced or Software section, click on LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and click on WordPress Cache (under the LiteSpeed Cache Management section).
4. Click the Scan button to allow the server to locate your active WordPress installations.
5. Locate your website on the list and click Enable to grant the server permission to cache your pages.

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard (://yourdomain.com).
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New.
3. Search for LiteSpeed Cache (developed by LiteSpeed Technologies).
4. Click Install Now and then click Activate.

You can check if both systems are actively running using the steps below:

1. Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Tools → Site Health → Info tab.
3. Expand the Server dropdown and confirm opcache is listed as active.

1. Open a new Incognito/Private browser window.
2. Visit your website home page.
3. Right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect to open Developer Tools.
4. Go to the Network tab and refresh the page.
5. Click on the very first request (your domain name) and check the Response Headers.
6. Look for the header line: X-LiteSpeed-Cache: HIT.