PrestaShop Optimization Techniques for Swift Online Shopping 2024

Online shopping is undoubtedly more convenient than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. But still, people want to make their virtual shopping experience quick. They experience immediate responses when they click on the web. They don’t like to wait and if they have to wait, they will just leave the online platform. Therefore, online shopping stores focusing on speed and response timing make more sales.

If you make use of PrestaShop for your online store, there are several ways you can enhance its performance. In this guide, you will get to know some simple ways for PrestaShop optimization updated for 2024.

Server Optimization

1.Remove unused modules

Unused modules in PrestaShop can significantly impact performance. Uninstall and delete unnecessary modules to prevent them from loading and slowing down your PrestaShop store. This ensures a streamlined and nimble website.

2.PrestaShop version upgrade

You should upgrade your site to the latest PrestaShop version (PrestaShop 8) for performance improvements and security fixes. Keeping your PrestaShop installation up-to-date ensures you benefit from the latest features and optimizations provided by the platform.

Download the latest PrestaShop version here.

3.Upgrade to the latest PHP version

Upgrading to the latest PHP version, such as PHP 8.3, brings substantial speed improvements. PHP 8 offers enhanced performance compared to its predecessor, PHP 7, making it a recommended choice for PrestaShop users.

4.Dual web servers - Apache and Nginx

Utilizing both Apache and Nginx can optimize server performance. Place Apache behind Nginx, with Nginx serving as a reverse proxy. This setup allows Nginx to efficiently handle static content requests, while Apache manages dynamic requests, providing a balanced and efficient server configuration.

5.Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

Implement Server-Side Rendering (SSR) to generate and deliver web pages directly from the server. SSR reduces client-side rendering time, enhancing overall website speed.

Database Optimization

Efficient database management is crucial for PrestaShop performance. Consider the following techniques to enhance your database's scalability and responsiveness:

1.Table defragmentation

Regular table defragmentation can significantly improve database performance. Over time, as data is added, modified, and deleted, database tables can become fragmented, leading to slower query execution. Defragmenting tables involves reorganizing the storage of data, reducing fragmentation, and optimizing query response times.

To defragment tables, you can use tools specific to your database management system (DBMS) or built-in commands. For instance, MySQL provides the OPTIMIZE TABLE command. Execute this command for relevant tables to reclaim storage space and ensure data is stored more efficiently.

2.Query optimization

Optimizing database queries is another essential step for improved PrestaShop performance. Inefficient queries can strain server resources and slow down response times. Consider the following tips for effective query optimization:

• Indexing: Proper indexing of tables allows the database engine to quickly locate and retrieve specific rows, reducing query execution time. Identify frequently queried columns and apply indexing strategically.
• Avoid SELECT: Instead of retrieving all columns in a table using SELECT *, specify only the necessary columns. This minimizes the amount of data transferred and enhances query efficiency.
• Use JOINs judiciously: While JOIN operations are essential for retrieving data from multiple tables, excessive or poorly designed JOINs can lead to performance issues. Optimize JOIN queries based on your specific data retrieval needs.
• Query caching: Implement query caching to store frequently executed queries and their results. This reduces the need to reprocess identical queries, saving processing time.

Content Delivery Optimization

Leveraging a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can significantly boost your PrestaShop site's performance by distributing content across multiple servers worldwide. While the basic concept involves serving static assets from geographically closer locations to users, there are additional considerations for optimizing CDN usage:

1 .Choose the right CDN provider

Selecting the appropriate CDN provider is a critical decision. Consider factors such as:

• Network coverage: Choose a CDN with a vast network of strategically located servers worldwide. This ensures that your content is delivered swiftly to users regardless of their geographical location.
• Performance: Evaluate the performance metrics provided by CDN providers. Look for low-latency and high-throughput networks to ensure quick content delivery.
• Security features: Prioritize CDN providers that offer robust security features, including DDoS protection and secure socket layer (SSL) options. This ensures both speed and security for your PrestaShop site.

2 .Set up caching rules

Efficient caching rules play a crucial role in optimizing CDN performance. Consider these aspects:

• Static asset caching: Configure your CDN to cache static assets such as images, stylesheets, and scripts for extended periods. This minimizes the need for repeated requests to your origin server, reducing server load and accelerating content delivery.
• Dynamic content optimization: For dynamic content, set up caching rules to strike a balance between freshness and performance. Ensure that critical dynamic content is cached appropriately while allowing for timely updates.
• Cache invalidation: Implement cache invalidation strategies to automatically refresh cached content when changes occur on your PrestaShop site. This prevents users from accessing outdated information and ensures real-time updates.

PrestaShop-Specific Optimization

1 .Integrate PrestaShop cache modules

Explore PrestaShop-specific cache modules like Page Cache Pro, Super Speed, and JPresta Page Cache. These modules optimize page caching, resulting in reduced load times and minimized server resource consumption.

2 .Combine, Compress, and Cache (CCC)

Enabling CCC (Combine, Compress, and Cache) in PrestaShop's Advanced Preferences page to compress HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. This reduces file sizes, leading to faster-loading pages and an improved user experience.

3 .Image optimization

Optimizing images is a pivotal aspect of PrestaShop speed optimization, directly influencing page load times and user experience. In addition to using modules like Re-smush or TinyPNG API, consider the following image optimization strategies:

Choose optimal image formats

Selecting the right image format can have a significant impact on both visual quality and file size. Consider the Webp and JPEG progressive formats.

(Source: Phototutorial.com)

Resizing and compression best practices

Beyond using image optimization modules, adopt best practices for resizing and compressing images: 

• Resize images appropriately: Ensure that images are resized to the dimensions required by your website layout. Avoid loading large images and relying on HTML or CSS to resize them, as this can impact page speed.
• Compression settings: Adjust compression settings to find the right balance between file size and visual quality. Experiment with different compression levels to achieve optimal results without compromising image clarity.
• Image sprites: Consider using image sprites for small, repeated graphics like icons. Combining multiple small images into a single sprite reduces the number of server requests, contributing to faster page loads.

Lazy Loading for images

Optimize image loading by implementing lazy loading, loading images only when they enter the user's viewport. This reduces initial page load times and improves perceived performance.

Tools for Testing Speed

One of the most important things to consider when you want to improve the speed of your store is to know and make use of speed testing tools. Most people continue to invest efforts in improving the speed of their stores but they do not know whether their efforts are paying off or not. You cannot know if your efforts are even paying off until you know how to quantify your gains.

Fortunately, different speed testing tools can help you evaluate the performance of your website such as GTmetrix and Google PageSpeed Insights. The best thing about these tools is that they not only analyze your store but also identify all the areas that are lacking and require improvement. 

Whichever tool you select, you should run tests regularly to make sure that you are operating at the best and your desired level of speed.

Conclusion

Although the speed of the website is the most critical factor in the success of an online store, it is still one of the many factors. The layout of your website, your products, and your prices are all important components of your business.

Still, if customers have to wait a few minutes to obtain their desired results, they are more likely to consider other websites or platforms for purchasing what they want. Thus, enhancing the speed of your site is going to generate greater returns for you. Stay agile, stay optimized, and let speed be the catalyst for your PrestaShop store's prosperity in the digital marketplace!