Getting Started with RunCache

RunCache is a next-generation WordPress caching solution that connects page, object, and edge caching into a single, powerful dashboard. 

It also integrates directly with your RunCloud server, allowing you to control high-performance, server-level technologies such as NGINX, FastCGI, or Redis from your WordPress admin area.

This guide will walk you through installing, activating, and configuring the RunCache plugin for optimal performance.

Installation

Unlike other performance plugins that lock you into a specific hosting provider or ecosystem, RunCache is truly vendor-neutral.

While it offers unparalleled integration for users on a RunCloud-managed server, its core features work in any hosting environment.

This means you can use RunCache’s powerful dashboard, PHP caching, and CDN integrations on your existing site, regardless of where it’s hosted, giving you the freedom to choose the best infrastructure for your needs without sacrificing performance.

You can install RunCache using the following steps:

Method 1: Create a Sandbox Site 

This method is ideal if you want to experience RunCache in a pre-configured environment before making any changes to your active sites. It allows you to test server-level caching without manual configuration.

1. Visit the Sandbox Portal: Go to runcloud.io/runcache to access the RunCache deployment page.
2. Launch a Test Instance: Enter your email addresses to spin up a new test site for free. This provisions a temporary, fully functional WordPress sandbox.

That’s it! Now you can navigate the site’s front end to test RunCache with different settings. Observe how the site’s responsiveness across virtual devices (mobile vs. desktop) to verify that the cache consistently serves optimized pages without device-specific layout issues.

Method 2: Install on Your Staging Site Directly via the RunCloud Dashboard

This is the recommended path for RunCloud users. Installing RunCache on a staging site ensures that your server configuration and database are fully optimized before going live.

1. Log in to your RunCloud Dashboard and select your server, then click on your staging Web Application.
2. Navigate to the Performance tab in the left-hand navigation menu.

3. Click I agree to the terms and conditions then click “Let’s Get Started” to start the installation. RunCloud will automatically configure optimized NGINX or OLS server-level configurations behind the scenes. 

Method 3: Wait for Release on the WP.org Plugin Repository

If you are not currently using RunCloud, or if you prefer to use the platform-agnostic version of the plugin, we recommend waiting for the official release on the WordPress.org repository.

The RunCloud team is actively developing this platform-agnostic version to ensure it integrates cleanly across diverse hosting environments. However, if you are a plugin developer or want to test your software’s compatibility with RunCache, you can reach out to our team to request an early-access copy of the plugin.

Configuring RunCache Dashboard

After setup, you can access the main dashboard by clicking on the RunCache menu item in your WordPress admin sidebar. From here, you can perform three key actions with a single click:

1. Preload cache: Proactively generate cached versions of your pages.
2. Purge cache: Clear all stored cache instantly.
3. Enable/Disable Cache: Toggle the primary caching status on or off.

The dashboard provides a quick overview of your cache statistics and allows you to select your preferred caching method.

Choose a Cache Type

RunCache integrates directly with your server, offering powerful caching methods beyond standard PHP-based plugins.

• NGINX FastCGI Cache: The recommended option for servers managed by RunCloud. This server-level cache is significantly faster because it serves stored pages directly from NGINX, without involving PHP or WordPress.
• Redis Cache: A high-performance option that uses Redis for full-page caching. This is ideal for reducing database load and managing cache-related issues across multiple devices or clustered server environments.
• Cloudflare Cache: Offload caching to Cloudflare’s global network for enterprise-grade performance and security.

Asset CDN Configuration

After selecting your preferred full page cache type, you can configure the Asset CDN to speed up the delivery of your static files.

The Asset CDN feature offloads static assets (images, CSS, JavaScript, and fonts) to a global Content Delivery Network. This ensures files are served from a location geographically closer to your visitors, drastically reducing latency and improving overall load times.

You can choose from the following two options:

1. BunnyCDN: Accelerate your media file delivery using BunnyCDN’s high-performance global network. RunCache provides deep integration for easy setup and management.
2. Custom CDN: Use this option to bring your own CDN provider. RunCache will rewrite your static asset URLs to use the custom CDN hostname you provide.

Object Cache Configuration

Full Page Caching speeds up the delivery of your HTML, but we also recommend enabling Object Caching for a complete performance boost. Object caching significantly reduces database load, leading to a much faster WordPress admin dashboard and quicker processing for dynamic, data-intensive operations.

RunCache integrates with Redis, a powerful in-memory data store, to provide a high-performance, persistent object caching solution.

How to Enable Redis Object Cache

Enabling Redis Object Cache is straightforward, especially on a server managed by RunCloud. Before you begin, you must have Redis installed and running on your server. For RunCloud users, this is a simple one-click process:

1. Navigate to your server in the RunCloud dashboard.
2. Go to Services.
3. Click Install next to Redis if it is not already running.

Once Redis is installed, you just need to connect RunCache to it.

1. In your RunCloud dashboard, navigate to your Server > Settings.
2. Find the Redis Password tab and copy your Redis password.
3. In your WordPress dashboard, go to RunCache > Object Cache.
4. Click the toggle to enable Object Cache, then enter the password you just copied.

Go Beyond the Basics

What you’ve seen here is just the beginning of what RunCache can do. The plugin also offers powerful automated features, including intelligent cache preloading to warm up your pages and automatic purging that clears relevant content when you make updates.

For a deep dive into these advanced settings, fine-tuning your configuration, and getting the absolute most out of your setup, you should explore other pages in the official RunCache documentation.

If you have any other questions or need help – please feel free to get in touch with our 24/7 support team. We’re here to help!