Tools
Tools I recommend
Not a generic best-of list. Every tool here has come up in actual project work, and each one links to the article where I write about how and why I used it.
Performance & Caching
WP Rocket
Page caching, file optimization, and lazy loading, set up as the first move in most performance passes.
Where I write about itRedis
In-memory object caching for sites where transients and default object caching aren't enough under real traffic.
Where I write about itPerfmatters
Script manager and lightweight performance toggles, useful for trimming what loads on a page-by-page basis.
Where I write about itCloudflare
CDN and edge caching layer, part of the standard setup for cutting server response time before anything else.
Where I write about itImages
ShortPixel
Bulk image compression and WebP conversion, run as a standard step in the image pipeline.
Where I write about itDebugging & Auditing
Query Monitor
The tool I reach for first to see slow queries, hook execution order, and what's actually firing on a page.
Where I write about itGTmetrix & PageSpeed Insights
Before-and-after measurement for every performance change, so results are a number, not a feeling.
Where I write about itSecurity
Wordfence
Firewall and malware scanning, part of the baseline security setup on client sites.
Where I write about itSEO
Yoast SEO
Metadata, sitemaps, and readability checks, the default SEO plugin on most WordPress builds I take on.
Where I write about itRank Math
An alternative to Yoast with a more generous free tier, used depending on what a client's site already runs.
Where I write about itHosting
Kinsta
Managed WordPress hosting, recommended when server response time is the bottleneck no plugin can fix.
Where I write about it