The External Resources feature scans pages for approved third‑party scripts and styles, fetches those
files, and stores local copies under your site’s external-cache directory. It then rewrites
references so the browser requests these assets from your domain, which can reduce latency and give you
tighter control over caching. This is useful when external hosts are slow, unreliable, or have short
cache lifetimes that force repeated downloads for your visitors. The plugin sets a cookie to avoid
re‑fetching on every request and supports manual or scheduled refreshes so you can align updates with
your site’s deployment cadence.
Before enabling this feature broadly, review the terms of service for the third‑party assets you plan to
cache, as some providers restrict hosting their files locally. Exercise caution with scripts that change
frequently—such as analytics tags or tag managers—because caching them can lead to outdated tracking
logic or missing features. For those, consider leaving references external or using a shorter refresh
interval. After activation, browse key pages to populate the cache, then inspect the
external-cache directory and verify that pages load without console warnings.
In environments with strict firewall rules, ensure outbound HTTP/HTTPS requests are allowed;
alternatively, cURL support is helpful. Overall, the feature provides a pragmatic way to reduce
third‑party latency while preserving functionality, provided you validate behavior after enabling it.