Images, Cache, Assets, and Performance

Step 1: Prepare the Media
Open Image Studio and inspect the original before generating a derivative. Choose dimensions, crop, quality, and modern formats for the actual placement. Preserve the approved original and metadata, then confirm the responsive source set does not substitute an unrelated image.

Step 2: Read the Performance Evidence
Open Insights and review versions, module health, page estimates, REST checks, shortcodes, and recent diagnostics. Measure a cold anonymous request and a warmed request separately. A fast cached page does not prove the origin, editor, checkout, or signed-in experience is healthy.

Step 3: Reduce Unused Work
Use Performance Coach and the page structure to remove duplicate widgets, oversized media, unnecessary sliders, and modules the page does not use. Keep module CSS and scripts scoped to the surfaces that need them, while preserving preview and public asset parity.

Step 4: Retest Interactions and Bypasses
After cache or asset changes, retest menus, forms, sliders, video, search, cart, checkout, account pages, preview, and save behavior at desktop and mobile. Confirm query, cookie, private, and transactional requests bypass public cache correctly, then inspect fresh browser and PHP logs.
