Queries and Databases

This page provides information on optimizing queries, query caching (when you should, and shouldn't use it), and database optimization techniques.

Optimize Queries

This section provides information on available tools and techniques to optimize queries.

Query Caching

Query caching can improve optimization. Read the sections below to learn more about when you should, and when you shouldn't use query caching.

Bust Cache with Query Parameter

Include static files with cache-busting query strings. This prevents the long Cache-Control lifetime for static files from breaking pages when the CSS and Javascript change.

Drupal automatically does this for CSS and Javascript, for details see Drupal.org docs. WordPress provides the wp_enqueue_style parameter for a version when enqueuing CSS and Javascript, for details see Themetry's article, Cache-Busting Enqueued Scripts and Styles in WordPress.

Upload Entirely New Files

For files included in pages without cache-busting query strings (like images), it's better to upload a new file (and delete the old one) instead of replacing the existing file.

The new filename will cause clients to get the new file, even if they have a cached version of the older one (which is likely given the one-year cache lifetimes for static files on Pantheon).

Optimize Databases

Optimizing your database can increase site performance. Learn more about Drupal and WordPress guidelines for improving database optimization.