Performance optimization
- Performance Optimization for MediaWiki
This article details performance optimization techniques for MediaWiki installations, aimed at beginners. A slow wiki can frustrate users and hinder collaboration. This guide will cover a range of strategies, from basic configuration tweaks to more advanced server-side modifications. We will focus on optimizing for both page rendering speed and database performance.
Understanding Performance Bottlenecks
Before diving into solutions, it's crucial to understand where performance problems typically arise in a MediaWiki installation. Common bottlenecks include:
- Database Queries: The most frequent source of slowdowns. Complex queries, missing indexes, or a poorly configured database server can significantly impact performance. Database administration is key here.
- PHP Execution: PHP processes all the wiki's logic. Slow PHP code, excessive extensions, or insufficient resources allocated to PHP can cause delays.
- Caching: Lack of effective caching forces MediaWiki to repeatedly re-generate content, increasing server load. Caching is a critical component of performance.
- Image Handling: Large images, unoptimized formats, or inefficient image serving can slow down page load times.
- Extension Overhead: While extensions add functionality, they also consume resources. Too many extensions, or poorly written ones, can degrade performance.
- Server Resources: Insufficient RAM, CPU power, or disk I/O can limit the wiki's ability to handle traffic.
- Network Latency: While often outside of direct MediaWiki control, network latency between users and the server affects perceived performance.
- Complex Templates: Templates with deeply nested includes or computationally intensive logic can slow down page rendering.
Initial Assessment and Monitoring
Before making changes, it's essential to establish a baseline and monitor performance. Consider these tools:
- Web Server Logs: Analyze access logs to identify slow-loading pages and potential issues.
- PHP Error Logs: Check for PHP errors or warnings that might indicate problems.
- Database Performance Monitoring Tools: Tools like `mysqltuner.pl` (for MySQL) or PostgreSQL monitoring tools can help identify slow queries and database bottlenecks.
- MediaWiki's Statistics Page: Special:Statistics provides basic information about wiki usage and database size.
- Browser Developer Tools: Use your browser's developer tools (usually accessed by pressing F12) to analyze page load times and identify slow-loading resources. Tools like PageSpeed Insights ([1](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/)) can provide detailed recommendations.
- New Relic/Datadog/Dynatrace: These are commercial Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tools that provide in-depth insights into application performance. ([2](https://newrelic.com/), [3](https://www.datadoghq.com/), [4](https://www.dynatrace.com/))
Configuration Optimizations
Several configuration settings in `LocalSettings.php` can significantly impact performance:
- $wgCacheDirectory: Ensure this is set to a writable directory with sufficient space. A fast storage medium (SSD) is recommended.
- $wgMainCacheType: Experiment with different caching backends. `memcached` ([5](https://memcached.org/)) and `Redis` ([6](https://redis.io/)) are popular choices, offering significant performance improvements over the default file-based caching. Consider using a caching proxy like Varnish ([7](https://varnish-cache.org/)) in front of your web server.
- $wgUseTrackbacks: Disable trackbacks if not used, as they can introduce security vulnerabilities and performance overhead.
- $wgEnableAggressiveCaching: Enable this for improved caching of parsed templates.
- $wgParserCacheTtl: Adjust the time-to-live (TTL) for parser cache entries. A longer TTL reduces parsing overhead but may result in stale content.
- $wgObjectCacheEnabled: Enable object caching.
- $wgSessionCacheType: Use `database` or `memcached` for session caching instead of `file` for improved performance.
- $wgRateLimits: Configure rate limits to prevent abuse and reduce server load. ([8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate_limiting))
- $wgShowExceptionDetails: Set to `false` in production environments to prevent sensitive information from being displayed in error messages.
Database Optimization
The database is often the biggest bottleneck.
- Indexing: Ensure appropriate indexes are defined on frequently queried columns. Use `EXPLAIN` statements to analyze query plans and identify missing indexes. Focus on indexes for columns used in `WHERE`, `JOIN`, and `ORDER BY` clauses. ([9](https://www.percona.com/blog/2018/04/26/understanding-mysql-explain/))
- Query Optimization: Rewrite slow queries to be more efficient. Avoid using `SELECT *` and only retrieve the necessary columns. Use joins instead of subqueries where possible. Consider using stored procedures for complex operations.
- Database Tuning: Adjust database server configuration parameters (e.g., `innodb_buffer_pool_size` in MySQL, `shared_buffers` in PostgreSQL) to optimize performance. Research the optimal settings for your hardware and workload. ([10](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-configure-mysql-performance-tuning))
- Database Schema Optimization: Review the database schema for inefficiencies. Consider normalizing data to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity.
- Regular Maintenance: Perform regular database maintenance tasks, such as optimizing tables and analyzing indexes. Use tools like `OPTIMIZE TABLE` and `ANALYZE TABLE` in MySQL.
- Use a Database Connection Pool: Implement a database connection pool to reduce the overhead of establishing and closing database connections. ([11](https://www.baeldung.com/java-db-connection-pool))
- Choose the Right Database Engine: For MySQL, InnoDB is generally preferred over MyISAM for its transaction support and performance. For PostgreSQL, ensure you're leveraging its advanced features.
PHP Optimization
- PHP Version: Use the latest stable version of PHP, as newer versions generally include performance improvements.
- PHP Opcode Cache: Use an opcode cache like OPcache ([12](https://php.net/manual/en/opcache.installation.html)) to cache pre-compiled PHP code, reducing parsing overhead.
- PHP Extensions: Only enable the necessary PHP extensions. Disable any unused extensions to reduce memory usage and improve performance.
- PHP Configuration: Adjust PHP configuration settings (e.g., `memory_limit`, `max_execution_time`) to optimize performance.
- Use a PHP Accelerator: While OPcache is standard, consider alternatives like APCu ([13](https://pecl.php.net/package/APCu)) for specific caching needs.
- Profile PHP Code: Use a PHP profiler (e.g., Xdebug ([14](https://xdebug.org/))) to identify slow-running PHP code and optimize it.
Front-End Optimization
- Image Optimization: Optimize images by compressing them without significant loss of quality. Use appropriate image formats (e.g., WebP for modern browsers). Consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) ([15](https://www.cloudflare.com/)) to serve images from geographically distributed servers. Use responsive images with the `<picture>` element or `srcset` attribute.
- CSS and JavaScript Minification: Minify CSS and JavaScript files to reduce their size. Combine multiple CSS and JavaScript files into fewer files to reduce HTTP requests.
- Browser Caching: Configure your web server to set appropriate cache headers for static assets (e.g., images, CSS, JavaScript) to enable browser caching.
- Gzip Compression: Enable Gzip compression in your web server to compress text-based assets (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript) before sending them to the browser. ([16](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/enable-text-compression))
- Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading for images and other resources that are not immediately visible on the page. ([17](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Performance/Lazy_loading))
- Reduce HTTP Requests: Minimize the number of HTTP requests required to load a page.
Extension Management
- Disable Unused Extensions: Disable any extensions that are not actively used.
- Keep Extensions Updated: Keep all extensions updated to the latest versions to benefit from performance improvements and security fixes.
- Choose Extensions Carefully: Evaluate the performance impact of extensions before installing them. Read reviews and check the extension's documentation for performance considerations.
- Optimize Extension Configuration: Review the configuration settings of each extension and optimize them for performance.
- Monitor Extension Performance: Monitor the performance of extensions to identify any that are causing slowdowns.
Server Infrastructure
- Hardware: Use a server with sufficient RAM, CPU power, and disk I/O to handle the wiki's traffic. Consider using an SSD for faster disk access.
- Web Server: Use a high-performance web server like Apache ([18](https://httpd.apache.org/)) or Nginx ([19](https://www.nginx.com/)).
- Load Balancing: If you have high traffic, consider using a load balancer to distribute traffic across multiple servers. ([20](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/what-is-load-balancing/))
- Content Delivery Network (CDN): Use a CDN to serve static assets from geographically distributed servers, reducing latency for users around the world.
- Regular Server Maintenance: Perform regular server maintenance tasks, such as patching and updating software.
Advanced Techniques
- Varnish Cache: Implement a reverse proxy cache like Varnish in front of your web server to cache frequently accessed content.
- Database Replication: Use database replication to distribute the database load across multiple servers.
- Sharding: For very large wikis, consider sharding the database to distribute data across multiple servers.
- Asynchronous Tasks: Use asynchronous tasks (e.g., using a message queue like RabbitMQ ([21](https://www.rabbitmq.com/))) to offload long-running tasks from the main request processing thread.
Monitoring and Iteration
Performance optimization is an ongoing process. Continuously monitor your wiki's performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement solutions. Track the impact of each change to ensure that it is actually improving performance. Use A/B testing to compare different optimization strategies. Remember to document all changes made to the configuration and infrastructure for future reference. Tools like Grafana ([22](https://grafana.com/)) and Prometheus ([23](https://prometheus.io/)) can help visualize performance metrics. Consider using a canary deployment strategy to roll out changes gradually and minimize risk. Stay informed about the latest performance optimization techniques and best practices for MediaWiki. Understanding technical analysis ([24](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/technicalanalysis.asp)), trend identification ([25](https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-technologies/technical-analysis/what-is-trend-analysis)), and performance indicators ([26](https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/finance/performance-indicators/)) can also inform your optimization efforts. Analyzing user behavior with tools like Google Analytics ([27](https://analytics.google.com/)) can reveal areas where performance improvements would have the biggest impact.
MediaWiki administration Database administration Caching Extensions Configuration PHP Web server Database Performance monitoring Troubleshooting
Start Trading Now
Sign up at IQ Option (Minimum deposit $10) Open an account at Pocket Option (Minimum deposit $5)
Join Our Community
Subscribe to our Telegram channel @strategybin to receive: ✓ Daily trading signals ✓ Exclusive strategy analysis ✓ Market trend alerts ✓ Educational materials for beginners
[[Category:\-[.Plain WikimediaAliceArchitectureIllRosSolveIllim(,PermissionsDocumentation архиOccArchitecture]]