Seeing options for a CDN (Content Delivery Network) in your Pressable dashboard and maybe even Jetpack can be confusing! You might be wondering which one is best, if you should use more than one, or if they’ll conflict.
Let’s break down the options to help you choose the right setup for your site.
Pressable’s Edge Cache: The Modern Standard
For almost everyone, Pressable’s built-in Edge Cache is the best and recommended option. This is our modern, high-performance system that speeds up your site globally by automatically caching your content closer to your visitors. Think of it as the successor to our older CDN system. The edge cache uses the same global server network as the CDN, caches all of the same static asset types, and adds page caching.
On newer sites, Edge Cache is enabled by default, and the older CDN option is disabled. We recommend sticking with the Edge Cache – it’s designed to give you the best performance on our platform.
Learn more: What is Pressable Edge Cache?
Pressable’s Legacy CDN
Our older CDN system, “Pressable CDN” has been retired and removed in favor of Edge Cache. This is no longer available.
Pressable Cache Management Plugin
This plugin doesn’t provide its own CDN or any new caching functionality. Its purpose is to help you control Pressable’s caching behavior directly from your WordPress admin dashboard, rather than needing to log into Pressable’s control panel. It allows you to manage settings for Pressable’s caching systems (including Edge Cache), and easily clear the cache. We recommend using this plugin to manage your cache settings easily, while relying on Edge Cache for actual CDN functionality.
Learn more: Pressable Cache Management Plugin
Jetpack CDN (via Site Accelerator or Boost)
Jetpack, a popular plugin often used with Pressable (as we provide a free licence), also offers its own CDN feature through tools like Site Accelerator or Jetpack Boost. This is a separate CDN service provided by Automattic (the makers of Jetpack and WordPress.com). Its main draw is often features like automatic image optimization (like converting images to the speedy WebP format on the fly) and serving static files (like CSS and JavaScript).
Generally, you don’t need Jetpack’s CDN if Pressable’s Edge Cache is active. However, you might consider using Jetpack’s CDN if:
- You specifically need a Jetpack feature that relies on its CDN (like the image optimization).
- You’re experiencing performance issues, and our support team suggests testing the Jetpack CDN as a troubleshooting step.
Additionally, Jetpack Boost offers several optimization features that can be used in combination with the Pressable CDN. Such as optimizing CSS, JavaScript, and images.
Learn more: Why You Need Jetpack for WordPress
Summary: What Should You Do?
- For most users: Rely on Pressable’s Edge Cache. It’s enabled by default on new sites and is the best performance option.
- Consider Jetpack CDN only if: You need its specific features (like image optimization) or are troubleshooting performance under guidance from support.
- Use the Pressable Cache Management plugin: To control cache settings and clear the cache easily from your WordPress admin.
We hope this clears up the confusion! Our goal is to provide the fastest, most reliable experience, and for most sites, that means using our integrated Edge Cache.