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Site Performance

QA ZERO is designed to have minimal impact on your website's performance. However, it's important to understand how analytics tracking can affect site speed and how to optimize for the best balance between data collection and performance.

Performance Impact​

QA ZERO's impact on site performance is typically minimal:

  • The tracking script is lightweight (< 50KB)
  • Scripts load asynchronously to avoid blocking page rendering
  • Data is sent to the server in the background
  • Processing occurs on the server, not in the user's browser

Measured Impact​

In our testing across various website types:

MetricAverage Impact
Page Load Time+0.1 to 0.3 seconds
First Contentful PaintNegligible
Time to InteractiveNegligible
Lighthouse Performance Score-1 to -3 points

Optimizing Performance​

Basic Optimization​

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. Enable Optimize Script Loading
  3. Set Tracking Precision to "Balanced" (default)
  4. Save changes

Performance Settings

Advanced Optimization​

For sites where performance is critical:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. Enable Minimal Tracking Mode
  3. Configure which tracking features to enable/disable:
    • Click Tracking
    • Scroll Tracking
    • Mouse Movement Tracking
    • Session Recording
  4. Save changes

Note that disabling certain tracking features will limit the data available in your reports.

Caching Compatibility​

QA ZERO is designed to work with caching plugins:

  1. The tracking script includes cache-busting parameters
  2. User-specific data is handled via cookies and localStorage
  3. The admin interface is automatically excluded from caching

For optimal performance with caching:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Cache Compatibility Mode
  3. Save changes

See the Plugin Compatibility section for specific caching plugin configurations.

CDN Compatibility​

QA ZERO works with Content Delivery Networks (CDNs):

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. Enable CDN Compatibility
  3. If your CDN requires specific configuration, enter the details in the provided fields
  4. Save changes

Database Optimization​

QA ZERO stores collected data in your WordPress database. To optimize database performance:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Database
  2. Configure Data Retention Period (shorter periods mean less database storage)
  3. Set Database Cleanup Schedule (daily, weekly, or monthly)
  4. Enable Database Optimization to automatically optimize tables
  5. Save changes

Database Settings

Reducing Server Load​

For high-traffic websites:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. Enable Sampling Mode to track only a percentage of visitors
  3. Configure the sampling rate (e.g., 50% means only half of visitors are tracked)
  4. Enable Rate Limiting to prevent traffic spikes from overwhelming your server
  5. Save changes

Mobile Optimization​

To optimize performance for mobile users:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. Enable Mobile Optimization
  3. Configure Mobile Tracking Level (Full, Balanced, or Minimal)
  4. Save changes

Performance Monitoring​

QA ZERO includes tools to monitor its own performance impact:

  1. Navigate to QA ZERO > Settings > Performance
  2. View the Performance Impact section
  3. Check the Script Load Time and Processing Time metrics
  4. If these values are higher than the benchmarks, consider applying the optimization techniques described above

Best Practices​

  • Start with default settings and optimize only if needed
  • Use sampling for high-traffic sites (100,000+ monthly pageviews)
  • Regularly check performance metrics in your hosting dashboard
  • Consider upgrading hosting if your site is already resource-constrained
  • Balance data collection needs with performance requirements

Troubleshooting Performance Issues​

If you notice performance issues after installing QA ZERO:

  1. Temporarily disable QA ZERO to confirm it's the source of the problem
  2. Enable Debug Mode in QA ZERO settings to identify specific issues
  3. Check browser console for JavaScript errors
  4. Review server logs for PHP errors or slow queries
  5. Contact QA ZERO support if issues persist after applying optimization techniques

For persistent performance issues, please refer to the Troubleshooting section.