Portfolio project · WordPress/PHP · caching · Core Web Vitals · WooCommerce · frontend optimization
UltraCache Pro is a modular WordPress performance plugin focused on safe caching and front-end optimization. It combines full-page caching, preload, CSS/JavaScript optimization, media optimization, diagnostics and WooCommerce-aware safeguards.
Developer profile: Andrew Baeten · GitHub project index
Performance work often involves multiple interacting systems: page cache, browser cache, CSS/JS processing, images, fonts, object cache, CDN behaviour and dynamic WooCommerce routes. UltraCache Pro brings those concerns into one controlled plugin while keeping higher-risk optimizations staging-first and reversible.
| Area | What it demonstrates |
|---|---|
| WordPress performance | Full-page caching, preload, browser caching and object-cache integration |
| Front-end optimization | CSS, JavaScript, fonts, media, WebP/AVIF and responsive image handling |
| WooCommerce safety | Cart, checkout, account and session-aware cache safeguards |
| Reliability | Queueing, retries, stale-cache handling, bounded cleanup and fail-safe defaults |
| Diagnostics | Cache insights, purge history, support reports and Core Web Vitals sampling |
| Security | Input validation, signed compatibility overlays, secret redaction and safe filesystem boundaries |
flowchart LR
A[Incoming request] --> B[Eligibility and WooCommerce safeguards]
B --> C[Cache and preload layer]
C --> D[Frontend optimization]
D --> E[Response]
F[Diagnostics and purge controls] --> C
This project includes caching and frontend optimization capabilities; no published benchmark here proves a speed increase on every website. For a fair evaluation on an authorized staging site:
- Keep the same content, hosting, WordPress/PHP versions, theme, plugin set and traffic conditions for both runs.
- Record a baseline before enabling optimizations. Test representative home, content and product pages on mobile and desktop with repeatable Lighthouse settings, plus server response times.
- Enable one cache or asset optimization at a time. Repeat runs with equivalent cold/warm cache conditions; compare distributions, not just one favourable score.
- Verify logged-out pages and logged-in, cart, checkout and account flows independently; confirm personalized pages are never served from an unrelated visitor's cache.
- Review visual differences, forms, analytics/consent scripts, request errors and rollback. Publish dated before/after measurements with environment details only when actually collected.
Evidence boundary: the current compatibility workflow tests PHP syntax and clean WordPress bootstrap. It does not establish real-world Core Web Vitals, checkout correctness under load or a production improvement percentage.
- Start with conservative caching and media settings.
- Introduce advanced CSS/JavaScript processing separately on staging.
- Verify representative templates, forms, consent tools and logged-in behaviour.
- For WooCommerce, test product, cart, checkout, order and account flows before production rollout.
- Avoid running multiple tools that rewrite the same cache/CSS/JavaScript output without a documented compatibility plan.
- WordPress 6.3+
- PHP 8.0+
- Current stable version: see
readme.txt
A faster-looking site is not a success if a customer's cart, account or checkout behaves incorrectly. This plugin combines caching and frontend optimization with explicit rules for dynamic WooCommerce routes.
Suggested staging walkthrough: Enable conservative settings, test product → cart → checkout → account paths, then introduce CSS/JavaScript optimization one feature at a time. Recheck forms, consent, login and checkout after each change. Keep a rollback plan.
Compare before and after on the same staging site, with matching URLs, device/network settings, data and cache-warmup state. Record multiple Lighthouse lab runs, browser checks, the plugin configuration, and any regressions to cart or checkout. Where possible, also compare real-user Core Web Vitals data. Publish an actual reproducible report before claiming a speed increase.
Current evidence boundary: PHP and WordPress boot checks establish syntax and clean activation/deactivation on specified versions—not a measured PageSpeed uplift or end-to-end WooCommerce compatibility.
Key areas to inspect:
advanced-cache.php— page-cache drop-in behaviour.includes/— runtime modules and performance features.dropins/— optional cache integrations.compat/— compatibility handling.COMPATIBILITY.md— supported integration boundaries.SECURITY.md— security and reporting policy.RELEASING.md— release process.
The full WordPress.org-style feature, installation, privacy and changelog documentation remains in readme.txt.
GitHub Actions now combines the PHP syntax matrix with clean WordPress activation/deactivation checks on the minimum supported WordPress release and WordPress 7.1. The runtime gate is intentionally narrow: it proves bootstrap compatibility without claiming that every caching, WooCommerce or front-end optimization path has been exercised.
See PHP compatibility for the executable contract.
I am Andrew Baeten, a WordPress Developer with 10 years of experience, 90 delivered projects and responsibility for 120 websites and webshops. My work combines WordPress, WooCommerce, Elementor, UX, performance, technical SEO and quality-focused delivery.
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GPL-2.0-or-later. See LICENSE.txt.