Magento 2 Speed Optimization: Improve Your Store’s Loading Time

• Choosing a Reliable Magento Hosting Provider

• Magento 2 Configuration

• Optimizing Images and Media

• Reducing HTTP Requests

• Third-party Extensions

• Caching and Content Delivery

• Moving to HTTP/2

• Database Maintenance

• Frequently Asked Questions about Optimizing Magento 2 Speed

• Summary

The Impact of Speed on User Experience and Conversions

A slow-loading website can frustrate users. It leads them to abandon your store in favor of a competitor's site. Research shows that even a one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% decrease in conversions.

Optimizing your Magento 2 store for speed can improve user experience. It will increase customer satisfaction and boost your sales.

Server and Hosting

Choosing the correct server and hosting environment is a critical first step in optimizing your Magento 2 store for speed.

Your hosting provider should offer reliable performance, fast response times, and the ability to scale with your business.

Additionally, selecting a Magento server geographically close to your target audience is essential. It can significantly reduce latency and improve your website's load times.

Choosing a Reliable Magento Hosting Provider

Selecting the right hosting provider is essential for the success of your Magento 2 store. A reliable hosting provider ensures your website remains accessible and performs well, even during peak traffic.

To have the best hosting provider, consider the following factors:

1. Reputation Look for a hosting provider with a solid reputation and positive customer reviews. It indicates that the provider is committed to delivering quality services and support.

2. Uptime Guarantee Your hosting provider should offer a high uptime guarantee, at least 99.9%. It ensures that your store remains online and accessible to customers at all times.

3. Customer Support Choose a hosting provider that offers responsive and knowledgeable customer support. It is invaluable when you encounter technical issues or need assistance with your website.

Ensuring Server Compatibility with Magento 2 Requirements

Your hosting server should meet the Magento 2 system requirements. It is a factor that ensures optimal performance.

Make sure the server environment supports the following requirements:

• PHP Version Magento 2 requires PHP 7.3, 7.4, or 8.0. Check with your hosting provider to ensure the appropriate PHP version is available and supported.

• Database Magento 2 supports MySQL 8.0, MariaDB 10.4, and other compatible databases. Verify that your hosting provider offers a compatible database system.

• Web Server Magento 2 supports Apache 2.4 and Nginx 1. x web servers. Confirm that your hosting provider supports one of these web servers.

• Memory Requirements Magento 2 requires a minimum of 2 GB of RAM. However, having at least 4 GB or more for better performance is recommended. It is essential if you plan to run multiple stores or use resource-intensive extensions.

Magento 2 Configuration

Configuring Magento 2 correctly can significantly improve your store's performance. Here are some basic settings to optimize for speed:

1. Enabling Flat Catalogs for Products and Categories

Using flat catalogs can help speed up your Magento 2 store by reducing the time it takes to retrieve product and category data. Follow these steps required for enabling flat categories and products:

• Log in to your Magento 2 admin panel.

• Go to Stores > Settings > Configuration.

• In the left sidebar, click on Catalog > Catalog.

• Expand the "Storefront" section.

• Set "Use Flat Catalog Category" and "Use Flat Catalog Product" to "Yes."

• Click "Save Config" to apply the changes.

2. Turning on Production Mode

Production mode is the fastest mode in Magento 2. It minimizes error logging and debugging information. To enable production mode, follow these steps:

• Access your server's command line interface (CLI).
• Navigate to your Magento 2 root directory.
• Run the following command: php bin/magento deploy:mode: set production
• Magento 2 will now be in production mode, with improved performance.

3. Updating Indexers for Efficient Data Display

Indexers in Magento 2 help organize data for faster display on the front end. Keeping your indexers up to date ensures the best performance for your store. To update your indexers, follow these steps:

• Access your server's command line interface (CLI).
• Navigate to your Magento 2 root directory.
• Run the following command: php bin/magento indexer: reindex
• Your indexers will be updated, optimizing data display for your store.

Optimizing Images and Media

Images and media can significantly impact your Magento 2 store's performance. Optimizing them can improve loading speed and create a better user experience.

Here are some strategies to optimize images and media:

1. Using an Image Optimizer to Compress Images

Large image files can slow down your website. Compressing images reduces their file size without sacrificing quality.

Use an image optimizer tool, like TinyPNG or ShortPixel. Compress your images before uploading them to your store. This will help your pages load faster.

2. Implementing Lazy Loading for Faster Page Rendering

Lazy loading is a technique that only loads images when they become visible on the user's screen. In this way, the browser doesn't have to load all images simultaneously. It helps to speed up page rendering.

To implement lazy loading in your Magento 2 store, follow these steps:

• Install a lazy loading extension from the Magento Marketplace.

• Configure the extension according to your needs and preferences.

• Test your website to ensure the lazy loading is working correctly.

3. Converting Images to WebP Format

WebP is an image format developed by Google. It provides better compression and quality than JPEG and PNG.

Converting your images to WebP can reduce file sizes and improve loading speed. To convert images to WebP, follow these steps:

• Install a WebP converter extension from the Magento marketplace.

• Configure the extension to convert your images to WebP format automatically.

• Test your website to ensure the WebP images are displaying correctly.

Reducing HTTP Requests

Eliminating the number of HTTP requests in your Magento 2 store improves its performance. Fewer requests mean faster load times and a better user experience.

Here are two strategies to reduce HTTP requests:

1. Merging and Minifying JS/CSS Files

JavaScript and CSS files can increase the number of HTTP requests, slowing down your website. Merging and minifying these files can reduce requests and improve performance. Here's how:

• Merge JS and CSS files: In the Magento 2 admin panel, navigate to Stores > Configuration > Advanced > Developer.

• Go to the "JavaScript Settings" and "CSS Settings" sections. Set "Merge JavaScript Files" and "Merge CSS Files" to "Yes."

• Save the configuration.

Minify JS and CSS files

In the same Developer settings, set "Minify JavaScript Files" and "Minify CSS Files" to "Yes." Save your changes. Clear the cache, test your website, and check if it works correctly.

2. Implementing Critical CSS for Prioritized Loading

Critical CSS is a technique that prioritizes loading the most important CSS rules first, improving the perceived load time for users. To implement essential CSS, follow these steps:

• Identify the critical CSS rules: Use a tool like CriticalCSS or Penthouse to find the essential CSS rules for your website's above-the-fold content.

• Extract the critical CSS. Copy the critical CSS rules and place them in a separate file. Or you can inline them in the head of your HTML document.

• Load the remaining CSS asynchronously. Use the preload attribute or a script like loadCSS to load the rest of your CSS files asynchronously. It prevents them from blocking page rendering.

3. Advanced JS Bundling

To speed up a Magento website, it's essential to use Advanced JS Bundling. It helps to reduce the number of requests made to the server and decrease the size of JS files.

With Advanced JS Bundling, you don't need to load all the bundles for every page a browser requests, just the ones needed for that page.

To enable Advanced JS Bundling, you must define bundles by page type or purpose. Reduce the requests to store configuration advanced developer javascript settings.

Only specific bundles will be loaded for each page. It significantly increases your Magento website's speed. However, you may need professional configuration for complex websites to ensure optimal performance.

Third-party Extensions

While extensions and third-party tools can add helpful features to your Magento 2 store, they can also slow down its performance. Evaluating the impact of these tools and removing or replacing slow ones help improve Magento speed.

1. Evaluating the Performance Impact of Extensions

To assess the performance of your Magento extensions, follow these steps:

• Monitor your website's performance. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to measure your site's speed and identify bottlenecks.

• Disable extensions one by one In the Magento 2 admin panel, navigate to Stores > Configuration > Advanced > Advanced, and disable each extension individually. After disabling an extension, test your site's performance again.

• Compare results Analyze the difference in performance after disabling each extension. Identify which ones are causing slowdowns.

2. Removing or Replacing Slow Extensions

Once you have identified slow extensions, consider the following options:

• Remove unnecessary extensions If an extension is not essential to your store's functionality, consider removing it. Navigate to Stores > Configuration > Advanced > Advanced. Set the relevant attachment to "Disable." Save your changes and clear the cache.

• Look for alternatives If an extension is necessary but slow, search for alternative extensions that offer similar functionality but with better performance. Before installing a new plugin, read reviews well. Check its compatibility with your Magento 2 version.

• Optimize the extension If you cannot find a suitable alternative, contact the extension developer for help with optimization. Consider hiring a Magento expert to optimize it for you.

Caching and Content Delivery

Caching and content delivery can help your Magento 2 store load faster. In this section, we’ll discuss the following:

• Built-in caching
• Varnish cache
• Redis
• Content delivery networks (CDNs)

1. Enabling Built-in Magento Caching

Magento 2 has a built-in, full-page caching system. To enable it, follow these steps:

• Go to the admin panel and click on "System."
• Choose "Cache Management."
• Select all cache types and click "Enable."
• Press "Submit" to save your changes.

2. Varnish Cache for Improved Server Response Time

Varnish Cache can speed up your server response time. To set it up:

• Install Varnish on your server.
• Update your Magento 2 configuration to use Varnish.
• Test your site to make sure it works well with Varnish.

3. Configuring Redis for Backend Caching

Redis can help cache your store's backend data. To use Redis:

• Install Redis on your server.
• Update your Magento 2 configuration to use Redis.
• Test your site to make sure it works well with Redis.

👉 Learn how to set up Redis cache for Magento 2.

4. Using a CDN for Faster Global Content Delivery

A content delivery network (CDN) can make your site faster for users worldwide. To set up a CDN:

• Choose a CDN provider and sign up for an account.
• Configure your Magento 2 store to use the CDN.
• Test your site to make sure it works well with the CDN.

Moving to HTTP/2

Benefits of HTTP/2 for Simultaneous Static File Processing

• Faster page loads HTTP/2 can load multiple files at once, making pages load quicker.

• Better security HTTP/2 works well with encrypted connections, keeping your site secure.

• Improved efficiency HTTP/2 uses fewer resources on your server, making your site more efficient.

Configuring HTTP/2 through Your CDN or Web Server

To start using HTTP/2, follow these steps:

• Check your web server. Make sure your server supports HTTP/2. If not, you may need to update it or switch to a server that does.

• Enable HTTP/2 Turn on HTTP/2 in your server settings. The process may be different depending on your server type.

• Use a CDN: If you're using a content delivery network (CDN), make sure it supports HTTP/2. Update your settings to use HTTP/2 with your CDN.

• Test your site: Make sure everything works well with HTTP/2.

Database Maintenance

1. Regularly Cleaning Database Logs

Database logs store information about your store's activities. Over time, these logs can grow and slow down your site. To keep your store running smoothly, follow these steps:

• Schedule clean-ups Set up a schedule to clean your database logs regularly. This will help keep your site fast and efficient.

• Use Magento tools Magento has built-in tools to help you clean your logs. You can find these tools in your store's admin panel.

Creating Backups Before Clearing Log Tables

Before you clean your log tables, creating backups is a good idea. This helps you keep important data safe. Here's how to create a Magento 2 backup:

• Log in to your Magento 2 store's admin panel.

• Find the backup section: Look for the "System" menu and click "Backups."

• Create a backup: Choose the type of backup you want and follow the steps.

Frequently Asked Questions about Optimizing Magento 2 Speed

1. How can I speed up my Magento 2 website?

To optimize Magento 2 speed, you can use the following quick suggestions:

• Improve Magento hosting performance

• Use caching mechanisms

• Reduce HTTP requests

• Optimize images and media

• Evaluate extensions' performance impact.

• Enable flat catalogs for shipping products and categories

• Updating indexers for efficient data display

• CDN for faster global content delivery.

2. Which mode is faster in Magento 2: developer or production mode?

Production mode is faster than developer mode. It enables caching and disables debugging, which helps improve performance.

3. How can I improve my Google page speed score for Magento 2 websites?

To improve your Google page speed score, you can enable built-in Magento caching. You can also implement lazy loading for faster page rendering, convert images to WebP format, and use critical CSS for prioritized loading.

4. How do I speed up my Magento 2 admin panel?

To speed up your Magento 2 admin panel, you can reduce the number of records in the database. Optimize the database log tables, enable the Magento profiler, and check the speed impact of installed extensions.

Summary

Optimizing the speed of your Magento 2 store is crucial for improving user experience. It helps in increasing conversions and boosting SEO rankings.

We covered the best practices to optimize Magento speed, such as:

• Enabling caching

• Reducing HTTP requests

• Optimizing images

• Evaluating extensions

• Maintain your database

• HTTP/2 and CDN practices.

We encourage you to take action and implement these practices. It will ensure your Magento 2 store is fast and responsive for your customers.

You can get more tips on optimizing your online store; check out Magento news.