Knowledge
Spark Speed Alongside Another Cache Plugin
Two cache plugins working on the same page at once can get in each other's way. You don't need to overhaul everything immediately, but it helps to know which tasks you're assigning where.
In short
- Avoid having two plugins do the same task twice
- Let one plugin manage the page cache
- Spark fails safely if a conflict looms
Where conflicts arise
Cache plugins often do overlapping things: page caching, combining CSS, and deferring scripts. When two plugins do this at the same time, one can undo the other's change or apply it twice, with unpredictable results.
A workable division of labor
The most stable setup is to let one plugin manage the page cache and turn off duplicate optimizations. Spark focuses on verified per-page optimization, so you can disable overlapping features in your other plugin.
- Choose one plugin for page caching
- Disable duplicate CSS or script optimization in the other
- Test a few key pages after each change
Note: Spark verifies every page with a shadow render. If a conflict causes a difference, the optimization for that page won't be applied, keeping your site intact.
Unsure about your current cache plugin? Test it safely.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. The key is to avoid running overlapping tasks twice. Often it's enough to disable a few functions in one of them.
Typical signs include shifted layouts, missing styles, or scripts that stop working. Spark prevents many of these issues by verifying each page.
Yes. Since the optimization works per URL and fails safely, you can compare freely before making any permanent changes.