Clearing Cache After Making Changes On Your Website

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in As a website owner or developer, you’ll frequently find yourself making updates, whether it’s adding new content, tweaking the design, or implementing new features. However, after these changes, your website may not immediately reflect the updates to all visitors due to caching. Caching is a technique used to improve website speed and performance by storing static versions of web pages. To ensure that everyone sees the most up-to-date version of your website, you need to clear the cache. In this guide, we’ll explore why caching is important, how to clear it, and different methods for popular web platforms like WordPress and Drupal.

Why Clearing Cache is Important?

Caching offers significant benefits, such as faster page loading times and reduced server load. However, it can also lead to outdated content being served to users if not managed properly. Here’s why clearing cache is important:

  • Content Updates: When you make changes to your website, like publishing new blog posts or updating product listings, the cached versions may still display the old content to visitors.
  • Design Changes: Modifications to your website’s design or layout may not be visible until the cache is cleared, resulting in inconsistencies for users.
  • Functionality: New features or functionality added to your site may not work as expected if users are viewing cached pages.
  • User Experience: Outdated content or broken functionality can harm user experience and lead to frustration.

How to Clear Website Cache: General Steps

The process of clearing cache varies depending on your website’s platform, web hosting, and the caching solutions you’re using. However, here are general steps you can follow:

Access Your Website’s Backend

Log in to your website’s admin or control panel. For most content management systems (CMS), this is typically done by adding /wp-admin or /admin to your website’s URL.

Identify Caching Solutions

Determine what caching solutions your website is using. Common caching methods include browser cache, server cache, and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs).

Clear Browser Cache

To clear your browser’s cache, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac) to access the browser’s settings. Select the option to clear cached data and cookies.

Clear Server Cache

If your website uses server-level caching, such as object caching or full-page caching, you may need to access your hosting control panel or use an FTP client to manually clear the cache. Consult your hosting provider’s documentation for specific instructions.

Clear CDN Cache

For websites using a CDN like Cloudflare, log in to your CDN provider’s dashboard and locate the option to clear the cache. This process may vary depending on your CDN provider.

Plugin or CMS-Specific Cache

If your website runs on a CMS like WordPress, there may be caching plugins or built-in cache management options. Access the cache settings and clear it from there. We’ll discuss this in more detail for WordPress.

Test Your Website

After clearing the cache, thoroughly test your website to ensure that the changes you made are now visible to all visitors.

Clearing Cache in WordPress

WordPress has several caching options, both through plugins and server-level caching. Here’s how to clear cache in WordPress:

Use a Plugin to Clear Cache (e.g., WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache)

Log in to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to the caching plugin settings. For example, in WP Super Cache, go to “Settings” > “WP Super Cache.”

  • Find the option to clear or delete cache files. This may be labeled as “Delete Cache” or “Empty Cache.”
  • Click the button to clear the cache. You may also have options to clear specific types of cache, such as page cache or object cache.

After clearing the cache, remember to test your website to confirm that the changes are visible.

Clearing Cache on WordPress Managed Hosting (e.g., WP Engine or SiteGround)

Managed WordPress hosting providers often include caching solutions as part of their services. Log in to your hosting account. Look for the cache management options in your hosting dashboard. The process may vary between hosting providers. Find the option to clear or purge cache and follow the prompts to clear it.

Clearing Cache Manually via FTP

If you can’t access your WordPress dashboard, you can manually clear the cache via FTP:

  • Use an FTP client to connect to your server.
  • Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation.
  • Look for a folder called “wp-content” and inside it, find a folder named “cache” or “caches.”
  • Delete the contents of the cache folder

This method clears cached files on the server and is effective for addressing any server-level caching.

Read: WordPress Optimisation Services For Enterprise In London 

Clearing Cache in Drupal

Drupal, another popular CMS, also employs caching to optimise website performance. To clear cache in Drupal:

Clearing Cache via the Admin Dashboard

Log in to your Drupal admin dashboard. Navigate to “Configuration” > “Development” > “Performance.” In the “Performance” page, you’ll find options to clear cache. Click the “Clear all caches” button.

Drupal will display a message confirming that the cache has been cleared.

Clearing Cache Manually

If you can’t access the admin dashboard, you can manually clear the cache by deleting cache files:

  • Use an FTP client to access your Drupal website’s files.
  • Locate the “sites/default/files” directory.

Inside this directory, find the “php” folder and delete its contents.This manual method deletes cached files, ensuring that your website serves the most up-to-date content.

Read: Website Optimisation Strategies To Improve Rankings

Conclusion

Clearing cache is a vital step in maintaining your website’s accuracy and performance after making changes. It’s important to be aware of the caching solutions your website employs, whether they are at the server level, managed by a CMS, or implemented through plugins or CDNs. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your website visitors always see the latest content and design changes, providing them with an optimal user experience.

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