Learn how to exclude JS Files from caching in LiteSpeed cache. Our Litespeed Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

How to Exclude JS Files from Caching in LiteSpeed Cache

If you use LiteSpeed Cache on your WordPress site, you may have come across certain JavaScript files that cause issues like display problems or conflicts.

Worry not, our Experts are here to help.

To resolve this error, we need to exclude specific JavaScript files from caching. Our Experts have put together this step-by-step guide to customize the caching behavior and ensure the website functions smoothly.

An Overview:

• Why Exclude JS Files from Caching?
• How to Identify Problematic JavaScript Files
• Step-by-Step Guide
• Additional Tips

Why Exclude JS Files from Caching?

Excluding JavaScript files from caching in LiteSpeed Cache is often done to make sure the website functions correctly. One common reason is to avoid conflicts with third-party plugins. Some plugins use JavaScript to provide dynamic features, and caching these scripts can lead to unexpected behaviors, such as broken forms, malfunctioning sliders, or errors in interactive elements. In some cases, preloaded links may be the issue. head to this article if you want to learn how to preload links for faster website loading.

Minification is another common optimization technique. It can also introduce errors by altering JavaScript code in ways that break compatibility. Excluding problematic scripts prevents such issues and maintains their intended functionality.

Additionally, cached JavaScript files may cause display problems, such as menus not rendering properly, animations freezing, or AJAX requests failing. Excluding these files ensures the website’s design and user experience remain intact.

By selectively excluding JavaScript files, we can resolve these issues without sacrificing overall site performance, providing a balance between functionality and optimization. This targeted approach enhances stability and user satisfaction.

How to Identify Problematic JavaScript Files

Identifying problematic JavaScript files helps resolve conflicts and ensure our website runs smoothly. Here are advanced techniques to help pinpoint the culprits:

• Use Browser Developer Tools:
  • Open the browser’s developer tools.
  • Then, go to the Console tab to identify JavaScript errors, such as missing files or syntax issues.
  • Next, use the Network tab to view all loaded JavaScript files, their response times, and potential loading errors.
• Inspect Error Logs:
  • Check the website’s error logs via your hosting control panel or server logs.
  • Look for JavaScript-related errors like “file not found” or “unexpected token,” which can highlight problematic files.
• Debugging Plugins:
  • Use WordPress debugging plugins, such as Query Monitor, to detect plugin or theme conflicts.
  • These tools can reveal dependencies and errors in JavaScript execution.
• Manual Exclusion Testing:
  • Exclude JavaScript files one by one in LiteSpeed Cache to identify which file resolves the issue.
  • Test your site after each exclusion for visual or functional improvements.

With these techniques, you can systematically identify and address problematic JavaScript files for a better user experience.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. First, log in to the WordPress dashboard.
2. Then, head to the left sidebar. Here we will find the LiteSpeed Cache menu. This is where all plugin settings are managed.
3. Next, click Page Optimization under the LiteSpeed Cache menu.
4. At this point, we will be able to see the Tuning tab. It contains options for managing JavaScript and CSS file optimization.
5. Then, find the JS Excludes field where we will specify which JavaScript files to exclude.
6. Now, enter the full URLs or partial paths of JavaScript files we want to exclude. Remember to add each entry on a new line. For examples:

   /wp-content/plugins/your-plugin/js/script.js
/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.js
7. If we are not sure about file paths, we can use our browser’s developer tools to inspect your site. Under the Network tab, refresh the page and look for the JavaScript files being loaded.
8. Once we add the exclusions, it is time to purge the site cache. So, go to the Toolbox section in LiteSpeed Cache and click Purge All to remove all cached content.
9. Then, open the browser settings and clear cached images and files to ensure changes take effect.
10. Now, load the website in a browser to check if it displays correctly and functions as expected.
11. In case issues persist, revisit the JS Excludes field and modify the entries. We can add additional files or refine the paths based on observed behavior during testing.

Additional Tips

• If JavaScript minification or combination is enabled, excluding problematic files can prevent conflicts. Ensure these files are listed in the JS Excludes section.
• Some configurations may allow wildcards to exclude multiple files with a common path.
• If AJAX calls are affected, we can bypass optimization for these requests by adding a filter in your theme’s functions.php file to disable optimization during AJAX operations.

[Need assistance with a different issue? Our team is available 24/7.]

Conclusion

With the above steps, we can resolve conflicts caused by JavaScript files and ensure the LiteSpeed Cache configuration aligns with our site’s needs. Regular testing and adjustments can help maintain a smooth user experience while optimizing performance.

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to exclude JS Files from caching in the LiteSpeed cache.