Since releasing RunCache v1, WordPress server-side page caching, we received a lot of feedback from our users, including a cache exclusion feature, to allow using RunCache on dynamic website, such as WooCommerce. We soon realized there was a lot more to RunCache and will continue to add related WordPress features.
We are introducing RunCloud Hub, a hub for all RunCloud plugins for WordPress. It is not only for the new RunCache (with cache exclusion), but also for the Redis Object Cache and Server Health & Transfer Stats monitoring directly from your WordPress dashboard.
What is RunCloud Hub
RunCloud Hub is a hub for all RunCloud features for WordPress. Currently it has 3 features:
- RunCache Nginx FastCGI Cache (with cache exclusion and cache preloading)
- Redis Object Cache
- Server Health & Transfer Stats monitoring
RunCache is Nginx caching mechanism that will be installed to your web application in RunCloud automatically by installing RunCloud Hub feature. Inside RunCloud, we offer two web server stacks for you to choose from in web application level. If your web application uses Native Nginx stack, RunCache will use FastCGI cache. And if it uses Nginx-Apache hybrid setup, RunCache will use Proxy Cache.
Redis Object Cache is different server-side caching method. For dynamic website, for example membership website or online store website (WooCommerce), Redis Object Cache can reduce the load of your database by storing database queries to help speed up PHP execution times and make your website faster.
RunCache and Redis Object Cache are perfect combination to help optimizing your WordPress website easily.
Installing RunCloud Hub
You can install RunCloud Hub easily from “RunCloud Hub” menu under your RunCloud web application.
When installing RunCloud Hub to your web application, RunCloud will do two things:
1) On server-side, RunCloud will install server-side caching mechanism to the NGINX for your current web application.
2) On WordPress-side, RunCloud will install RunCloud Hub plugin inside your WordPress installation that will allow you to have more control on RunCache and Redis Object Cache.
Once it is installed, you will see some options for your RunCloud Hub.
Purge All Cache to clear cache from RunCache. Purge Object Cache to clear cache from Redis.
If you want to remove RunCloud Hub from your web application, click the “Remove” button and it will uninstall RunCloud Hub from both server-side and WordPress-side.
Working With RunCloud Hub WordPress Plugin
Once you have logged in to your WordPress dashboard, you will see RunCloud Hub menu under Settings menu.
From the Stats menu, you can monitor your Server Health, including Server Load, Memory Usage, and Disk Space directly from your WordPress dashboard without having to visit your RunCloud dashboard.
Go to Settings menu if you want to change stats display from hourly to daily view.
From RunCache menu, you can see 3 submenus: Purger, Rules, and Preload.
Purger settings allow you to have more control when cache is cleared when you update your content.
Rules settings allow you to control Cache Exclusion. This is very useful when you have dynamic pages that should not be cached in your website. For example, in WooCommerce, you have the Cart, Checkout, and My Account page that must be not cached.
Preload settings allow you to generate caches of your pages without having to wait for a user to visit your pages. Normally, cache is generated after a user visits a page.
Learn more about RunCache Nginx FastCGI Cache
From the Redis menu, you can enable or disable the Redis Object Cache in your website.
Learn more about Redis Object Cache
Redis Object Cache is optional, you can disable it if you think you do not need it for your WordPress website.
Clearing RunCloud Hub Cache
There are two ways to clear your cache. You can clear cache from RunCloud Hub menu in your RunCloud Dashboard. Or you can do it from the Quick Action menu in your RunCloud Hub page.
RunCloud also provides quick admin bar menu that allows you to clear all cache from any page in your WordPress Dashboard.
RunCloud Hub quick admin menu is also available on frontend when you open your website.
You can use “Clear Cache this URL” link if you want to clear cache of the current page only.
Bonus: Magic Link Login
RunCloud Hub provides a magic login link that allows you to login directly your WordPress dashboard from the RunCloud dashboard. Not only does it save time, but it also means that there is less typing and more protection for your credentials.
Magic Link Login feature is available for Business plan users.
Tips: Why RunCloud Hub menu is missing?
If you install WordPress manually, not using our one-click WordPress Install feature, or if you have old an WordPress web application before RunCloud released one-click WordPress install feature, it is possible you may not see RunCloud Hub menu in your web application.
The solution to fix this is very simple by navigating to the Settings menu under your web application, and choosing WordPress for Web Application Type.
Is It Compatible With Popular WordPress Cache / Optimization Plugins?
Great question!
Important thing to understand, both RunCache and Redis Object Cache works in server level and popular WordPress cache / optimization plugins works in WordPress level.
They are in different space and it should be compatible. You can choose to disable page cache feature from your WordPress cache / optimization plugins if you find any issue with RunCache.
For page cache use case, RunCache should be faster because once your website page cache is available, it will be served to your visitor directly from your server without WordPress.
Summary
In RunCloud, we provide you with full control over your server. That is why we do not apply server-side caching mechanism automatically to your server.
If you want to apply server-side caching to one of your web applications within your server, then RunCloud Hub is your answer.
RunCloud Hub is a great tool to optimise your WordPress website with RunCache and Redis Object Cache.
If you are using OpenLiteSpeed servers, you can use LiteSpeed Cache to speed up your website.
All paid plan users (Basic, Pro, Business) can enjoy the full functionality of this feature. Special for Magic Login Link bonus feature, it is available only for Business user.
It has been a largely requested feature that we knew would be useful to you. Never ever hesitate to suggest new features that you want to see, and we will make it happen.
