Caching

Caching means temporarily storing frequently needed data or finished pages so they don't have to be expensively recalculated or loaded on the next request. Instead of rebuilding a page from the database ✕ A database stores a site’s content —posts, pages, comments— in an organized way so it can be retrieved instantly. WordPress uses MySQL or MariaDB. More in the glossary → and code on every visit, the server ✕ A server is a powerful computer that provides data or services to other devices — for example serving a website or storing your cloud files. More in the glossary → delivers the stored version — which significantly cuts load time and eases the server's workload. Caching happens at several levels: in the browser ✕ A browser is the program you use to open websites and surf the internet — such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. More in the glossary → , on the server, and via a CDN ✕ A CDN (Content Delivery Network) stores copies of your website on servers worldwide. Visitors are served from the nearest server — speeding up loading. More in the glossary → . Good hosts and caching plugins set this up largely automatically. More in the best web hosting comparison.