Migrating between optimization plugins is best done methodically to avoid stale assets and conflicting
rules. Begin by creating a full backup of your site’s files and database. Next, deactivate your existing
performance plugin(s) and clear their caches. If they modified .htaccess, restore a clean
baseline or remove the plugin‑specific markers to prevent residual headers from lingering. Also clear
any server‑level or CDN caches that might continue serving outdated assets.
Install and activate WP Lightning Load with conservative defaults: enable caching for images, fonts, CSS,
and JS with reasonable expiries; enable HTML minify; and defer JS only if your theme and critical
plugins are known to support it. Avoid stacking multiple minification or lazy loading sources initially.
Verify that pages render correctly, interactions work, and there are no console errors. Then,
incrementally enable additional features such as CSS/JS minify, lazy loading for various media types,
image optimization, and—optionally—critical CSS.
At each step, test a representative set of templates: home, blog index, single posts, product pages,
cart/checkout (if applicable), and key landing pages. Once you are satisfied, run a fresh performance
audit using tools like Lighthouse, WebPageTest, or PageSpeed Insights to measure improvements and spot
any regressions. This gradual approach minimizes risk and ensures a stable, optimized configuration
tailored to your stack.