In a digital environment where speed has become a determining factor for a website’s success, caching remains one of the most effective tools for optimizing performance. With the arrival of PHP 8.4, which promises improvements in speed and efficiency, alongside the stability of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS as the base operating system, it’s time to reevaluate the two most popular caching solutions: Redis Full-Page Cache and NGINX FastCGI Caching. Which is the best option in this new context? We analyze the updated data to help you decide.
Caching in WordPress: An Essential Ally
Caching is a technique that stores copies of data or entire pages in a quickly accessible location, such as RAM or disk, allowing them to be served quickly without the need to generate them from scratch. This not only accelerates load times but also reduces server load, enabling it to handle more requests with fewer resources.
In WordPress, a platform that powers over 60% of the web, caching is especially crucial. Two of the most widely used solutions are Redis Full-Page Cache and NGINX FastCGI Caching, but which is more efficient with the latest technologies?
Redis Full-Page Caching: Power in Memory
Redis, an open-source in-memory database, remains synonymous with speed. Its full-page caching approach stores the entire HTML of a page in RAM, allowing it to be retrieved almost instantaneously.
Advantages of Redis with PHP 8.4:
- Extreme Speed: PHP 8.4 optimizes memory usage, further enhancing Redis’s capabilities.
- Scalability: Ideal for high-traffic sites and servers with ample RAM.
- Easy Integration: With plugins like Redis Object Cache, setup is quick and efficient.
NGINX FastCGI Caching: Stability in Disk Storage
NGINX, one of the most robust web servers, continues to stand out for its stability and efficiency. Its FastCGI Caching system stores the full HTML on disk, serving it directly without the need to repeatedly contact the backend server.
Advantages of NGINX with PHP 8.4:
- Resource Optimization: PHP 8.4 enhances performance on servers with limited resources, complementing NGINX’s disk caching perfectly.
- Reliability: NGINX is known for its ability to consistently handle high loads.
- Advanced Configuration: Allows for adjusting cache content duration and monitoring its performance.
Updated Benchmarks: PHP 8.4 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
To provide the most recent and relevant data, we conducted tests on three identical WordPress sites running PHP 8.4 on a server with Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Each site contained a page with 20 paragraphs of text and 2 images, and was subjected to sustained load under identical network conditions.
- No Optimization: The site without caching handled 5,120 requests, with an average load time of 1.95 seconds. Some requests took 0.9 seconds, while others reached 3.1 seconds.
- Redis Full-Page Caching: With Redis Full-Page Cache, the number of requests rose to 10,300, and response times were more consistent, with 95% of requests completed in under 1.1 seconds.
- NGINX FastCGI Caching: NGINX showed very similar results, handling 10,000 requests, with 95% of requests completed in under 1.15 seconds.
Which System to Choose in 2025?
Both solutions proved to be highly effective, drastically improving website performance. However, with PHP 8.4 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, the choice between Redis and NGINX comes down to your specific needs:
- Choose Redis if: You have servers with enough RAM and are looking for maximum speed. It is ideal for high-traffic sites requiring exceptional performance.
- Choose NGINX if: Your servers have limited resources and you seek a robust and reliable solution. PHP 8.4 further optimizes its performance in disk storage environments.
Final Conclusion
In 2024, both Redis and NGINX remain undisputed leaders in the world of caching, but with PHP 8.4 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, their differences have narrowed even further. If you’re looking for sheer speed, Redis is your best option. If you prefer stability and resource optimization, NGINX is the ideal choice.
In a world where every millisecond counts, implementing caching is not just a good practice, but a necessity to stay competitive. Have you already decided which is the best option for your site in this new year?