How to Enable OPCache in cPanel?

How to Enable OPCache in cPanel for Faster Website Performance?

OPCache is a powerful PHP extension that significantly improves website speed and performance by caching pre-compiled PHP script bytecode in shared memory. This eliminates the need for PHP to parse and compile scripts on every request, which reduces server load and execution time.

Enabling OPCache is a simple process and can dramatically boost the performance of your website, especially for PHP-based applications like WordPress, Joomla, or Magento. This article will guide you through the steps to enable OPCache in your cPanel account.

Why Use OPCache?

• Faster Loading Times: By caching compiled code, OPCache allows your website to serve pages much more quickly, providing a better user experience.
• Reduced Server Load: Fewer compilation tasks mean less CPU and memory usage, allowing your server to handle more traffic efficiently.
• Improved PHP Performance: OPCache directly accelerates the execution of your PHP scripts, leading to a more responsive website.
• SEO Benefits: Faster websites often rank better in search engine results.

Step-by-Step Guide to Enable OPCache in cPanel

Most modern hosting providers with cPanel include OPCache as a standard feature, which can be enabled with just a few clicks. The most common method is through the “Select PHP Version” tool.

1. Log in to cPanel

Log in to your cPanel account using your hosting credentials.

2. Navigate to “Select PHP Version”

On the cPanel dashboard, find the “Software” or “Software/Services” section and click on the Select PHP Version icon.

3. Enable the OPCache Extension

• You will see a list of available PHP extensions.
• Scroll down and find “opcache”.
• Check the box next to “opcache” to enable the extension.
• Click the Save button.

That’s it! OPCache is now enabled for your website.

4. Verify OPCache is Enabled (Optional)

If you want to confirm that OPCache is active, you can check your PHP configuration.

• In cPanel, go to “Software” and click on MultiPHP INI Editor.
• Select your website’s domain from the dropdown menu.
• Look for the opcache.enable directive. The value should be set to 1 or On.

Advanced OPCache Configuration

For Server Administrators / Root Level: For most users, simply enabling the extension is enough. However, if you have a high-traffic website or a complex application, you can fine-tune the settings for optimal performance. You can do this using the MultiPHP INI Editor in cPanel.

Here are some key OPCache directives you might want to adjust:

• opcache.memory_consumption: This sets the amount of memory (in megabytes) allocated to OPCache. A larger value can cache more files, which is useful for larger websites.
• opcache.max_accelerated_files: This defines the maximum number of PHP files that can be cached. Increase this value if your site has a large number of PHP scripts.
• opcache.revalidate_freq: This setting controls how often OPCache checks for updated files. A value of “2” means it checks for changes every 2 seconds. A higher value reduces checks but might delay changes from appearing on your site. For production sites where code doesn’t change often, you can set this to a higher value to reduce server load. For development, a lower value is better.

By understanding and enabling OPCache, you can unlock a significant performance boost for your website, ensuring faster load times and a more efficient use of your server resources.