WordPress Optimizer: Site Booster Module

The Ocean Site Booster's WordPress Optimizer module enables you to control core WordPress features that may be redundant or present a security issue for your website.

To access WordPress Optimizer, click on the cog    icon, then toggle    to enable the module.

By disabling WordPress core features you don't need or use, you're boosting your website's performance (disabling processes that continuously run in the backend using your server resources), as well as your privacy and security.

Enable (or disable) any option you would like to use, then save changes    at the bottom of the module page.

Available WordPress Optimizer options include:

• Heartbeat Settings,
• Disable WP Cron,
• Autosave Settings,
• Disable Feeds,
• Disable Oembeds (v 1.2.0+),
• Disable Dashicons (v 1.2.0+),
• Disable Emojis (v 1.2.0+),
• Disable jQuery Migrate (v 1.2.0+),
• Disable Query Strings from Static Resources (v 1.2.0+),
• Disable Password Strength Meter (v 1.4.0+),
• Disable Google Maps API (v 1.4.0+),
• Enable Local Google Analytics (v 1.4.0+).

Heartbeat Settings

Heartbeat Settings option allows you to either disable the Heartbeat API or choose a custom Heartbeat interval.

Available Heartbeat Settings options include:

• Default (15 seconds),
• 60 seconds (1 minute),
• 120 seconds (2 minutes),
• Disabled.

The Heartbeat API provides a communication protocol using AJAX calls between the browser and the server. Each pulse (heartbeat) utilizes website's CPU, and this can be troublesome for people on shared hosting with limited CPU quota.

Likewise, high CPU usage can also cause overload, which among some hosting providers is grounds for account suspension.

Before disabling Heartbeat API, consider the following:

• Do you have any use of the periodical autosave feature on the website?
• Do you have any use of the notifications that a post or page you want to edit is already being edited by someone else?
• Do you have any use of any other real-time or live notification on your website, be it backend or frontend?
• Do you use the post scheduling option on your website?
• Do you use any other optimization or caching plugins which are already controlling the Heartbeat API functionality in any way?
• Is your website an eCommerce website of any kind?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, do not disable Heartbeat API.

With most hosting providers, even when it comes to large, frequently visited and even eCommerce websites, there's no true need to disable the Heartbeat API. However, you can set a custom Heartbeat interval.

For more information, on the Heartbeat API, its functionality and use-cases, also see the following resources:

• WordPress Developer Handbook: Heartbeat API;
• WordPress Heartbeat tutorial by Hostinger;

Disable WP Cron

This option enables you to disable all WP Cron related actions.

WP-Cron is how WordPress handles scheduling time-based tasks. Several WordPress core features, such as checking for updates and publishing scheduled post, utilize WP-Cron.

WP-Cron works by checking, on every page load, a list of scheduled tasks to see what needs to be run. Any tasks due to run will be called during that page load.

If your website doesn't depend on any WP Cron jobs, ie. you want to manually check updates, manually update necessary plugins, and you are not utilizing any plugins or specific plugin features which rely on WP Cron, then you can disable this option.

Autosave Settings

Autosave Settings option enables you to disable the autosave feature without disabling the entire Heartbeat API, or choose a custom autosave interval instead.

However, if you have already disabled Heartbeat API, this feature is already disabled since it depends on the Heartbeat API.

Available Autosave Settings options include:

• Default (60 seconds),
• 2 minutes,
• 5 minutes,
• Disabled.

The autosave feature functions in the exact same manner autosave in any document editor - such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs functions - periodically.

The autosave option will run and save all your changes to a specific post, page, etc, without the need for you to constantly use the Save Draft or Update option. In case of any power or server issues, the autosave feature prevents the loss of your work.

If you don't have the need for this feature, you can disable it or apply a custom interval to reduce the CPU load.

Disable Feeds

This option enables you to disable all feeds, RSS, Atom and RDF that can be found using these URLs on your website:

1. https://yourwebsite.com/feed/   
2. https://yourwebsite.com/feed/rss/   
3. https://yourwebsite.com/feed/rss2/   
4. https://yourwebsite.com/feed/atom/   
5. https://yourwebsite.com/feed/rdf/   

Replace yourwebsite.com    in the examples with the actual URL of your website.

Feeds enable users and applications to receive regular updates from / about your website without actually visiting the website.

If you want to avoid various applications and third-party website to harvest information from you in this manner (for example, if you're trying to build a subscribers list), or simply have no need for it, you can disable it.

For more information on WordPress feeds, their functionality, pros and cons, see the following:

• WordPress RSS feed tutorial by Hostinger;
• RSS beginners guide by WPBeginner.

Disable Oembeds

Disable Oembeds option allows you to disable WordPress’s built-in oEmbed scripts and REST API routes, preventing your site from being embedded on other sites - and also prevents you from embedding other WordPress content.

The oembed script <script src="https://public-api.wordpress.com/.../oembed.js">    stops loading on the front end, and shortcodes like [embed] or auto-embeds (YouTube, X (Twitter)) no longer work.

This reduces extra HTTP requests and optional JS.

Do not use this feature if you're embedding content from third-party sites (Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, and others).

Disable Dashicons

Disable Dashicons option allows you to disable the Dashicons font from loading on the front end. Dashicon font (script) is a default WordPress resource, and WP uses it to display icons in the WP admin area, but this script often loads on the front accidentally.

Pages no longer enqueue the Dashicons CSS/font, which trims a couple KBs from your front-end CSS load. Website admins will still see all WP icons (dashicons) as usual.

Disable Emojis

Disable Emojis option allows you to prevent WordPress from loading its emoji detection scripts and styles on both front end and admin, saving additional file requests.

No emoji.js    or wp-emoji-release.min.css    enqueued. Browsers will default to their system emoji rendering, speeding up pages by eliminating that extra JS/CSS.

Disable jQuery Migrate

Disable jQuery Migrate option allows you to remove the jquery-migrate    script that WordPress loads for backward compatibility - only recommended if all your plugins/themes are jQuery 3+ compatible.

Only the main jQuery library is loaded.

If no old jQuery code is used by themes/plugins, pages still work; otherwise you may see JS errors for legacy calls.

Disable Query Strings from Static Resources

Disable Query Strings from Static Resources option allow you to strip version query strings (e.g., ...?ver=6.8.2   ) from CSS and JS URLs to improve caching on certain proxy/CDNs that ignore query strings.

Your static files URLs become something like /wp-content/themes/style.css    instead of /wp-content/themes/style.css?ver=5.8.1   .

Caching plugins or CDNs will treat them as static assets, improving cache hit ratios.

Disable Password Strength Meter

WordPress loads a relatively large JavaScript file (zxcvbn.min.js  ) to power the strength meter on user profiles and password reset screens.

• How it works: Enabling this toggle prevents that specific script from loading.
• The Benefit: It reduces the number of requests and the amount of JavaScript your browser has to download, leading to a faster, lighter administration area.
• Best Use Case: This is ideal for membership sites or sites with many users where you want the "Edit Profile" or "Reset Password" screens to load instantly.

Disable Google Maps API

The Google Maps API is notorious for being a "heavy" resource that can significantly drag down your page load speed and core web vitals scores:

• Disable Google Maps API: When toggled ON, Site Booster will block Google Maps API scripts from loading on the frontend of your website.
• Google Maps Exclusions: This is your "White List". Enter the Post IDs (separated by commas) for the specific pages where you actually want the map to work (eg, your "Contact Us" or "Store Locator" pages).

1. How to find your Post ID

If you aren't sure what numbers to put in the Exclusions box:

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard > Pages.
• Hover your mouse over the "Edit" link for your Contact page.
• Look at the URL in the bottom corner of your browser. The number after post=    is your ID (eg, if the URL says post=123   , your ID is 123   ).

Another option to quickly find the post ID is to preview the page on the front end, and search for the post-id-XX   option in the <body>   section of the page using the browser console.

2. Testing Your Maps

After enabling this, visit your Contact page to ensure the map still renders correctly. Then, visit your Homepage and check the browser console (F12 > Console). You should no longer see Google Maps scripts loading in the background.

3. Privacy Benefits

Beyond speed, disabling these scripts on pages without maps is a win for GDPR compliance. It prevents Google from potentially tracking your users via the API script on pages where that data collection isn't necessary.

Enable Local Google Analytics

This feature allows you to host Google Analytics scripts locally on your server to improve page load speed and gain better control over browser caching.

Once enabled, you can customize how the tracking script is served to your visitors:

• Google Analytics Tracking ID: Enter your unique measurement ID (eg, G-XXXXXXXXXX   ). You can find this in your Google Analytics Admin panel under Data Streams.
• Tracking Code Position:
  • Head (Recommended): Places the script in the <head>    of your site for the most accurate tracking.
  • Footer: Moves the script to the bottom of the page, which can slightly improve perceived loading speed but may miss users who leave the page quickly.
• Google Analytics Script Type:
  • Google Analytics 4 (Default): The standard, full-featured GA4 tracking script.
  • Google Analytics 4 Minimal: A stripped-down version of the script for those who only need basic tracking and want the absolute smallest file size.
• Track Logged-in Admins: Keep this OFF to prevent your own visits from inflating your data, or turn it ON if you need to test that tracking is firing correctly.

That's it!

Boost your WordPress website on all levels with OceanWP and Ocean Site Booster.