Static Caching

Static caching is one of Statamic’s most distinctive performance features. When it’s enabled, the first request to a page triggers a normal PHP render — the template is processed, content is pulled from files or the database, and the response is built. But then that fully rendered HTML is saved to a cache. The second request for that same page bypasses PHP entirely and is served straight from the cached HTML file, typically by your web server (Nginx or Apache).

The performance difference can be significant. A PHP-rendered request might take 100-300ms on a typical server. A cached static file served by Nginx can respond in single-digit milliseconds. At scale, this also means your server handles more concurrent traffic with the same resources.

Two Caching Modes

Statamic offers two static caching strategies. "File" caching stores the HTML in a directory on the same server, and the web server is configured to check that directory before passing requests to PHP. "Full" static generation outputs files you deploy to a hosting provider, similar to how static site generators work. The file-based approach is more common for CMS-managed sites because it maintains the ability for editors to publish new content through the Control Panel.

With file-based caching, the cache is automatically invalidated when relevant content changes. When an editor publishes a new post, Statamic purges the cached versions of pages that would include that post — the blog index, tag pages, and so on. This keeps cached content accurate without manual intervention.

Comparison to WordPress Caching

WordPress sites use caching plugins like WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, or WP Rocket to achieve similar results — writing rendered HTML to disk and serving it without full PHP execution. These plugins work, but they’re third-party additions to an architecture that was designed for dynamic rendering. Statamic’s static caching is a first-party feature built into the framework.

The practical difference is that WordPress’s caching plugins sometimes conflict with other plugins, need careful configuration, and have edge cases around logged-in users, cart pages, and dynamic content. Statamic’s caching is designed with these considerations in mind and excludes authenticated sessions and customized responses automatically.

CDN Integration

Static caching works especially well paired with a CDN. With Nginx serving static files and a CDN caching those responses at edge servers worldwide, you get a site that behaves like a fully static deployment while still letting editors manage content through the Control Panel. For hosting details, see Statamic Hosting and How does Statamic hosting compare to WordPress hosting?.