WPGraphQL Smart Cache
by Jason Bahl · Performance
Also makes 2 other plugins · 45K+ installs across the portfolio →
WPGraphQL Smart Cache is a WordPress plugin that provides fast, accurate API responses by intelligently caching and invalidating WPGraphQL queries.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 85/100
Few reviews
Active installs
5K+
≈6K estimated
Momentum
+62%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “api”, “performance” and “cache” for “varnish cache”, “object cache” and “accurate”. “api” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “varnish cache” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “object cache” sits at #15 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “cache” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #22. “accurate” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
85 health vs 69 average across 1,808 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.3%
of downloads still active
At least 5K of 151.3K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,103 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 10 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 10 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 4 reviews, smoothed to 4.17★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
31
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.8
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
5%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.9
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| persisted queries your tag | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| wpgraphql your tag | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| smart | #14 | #23 | down 4 |
| accurate | #19 | #23 | 0 |
| cache your tag | #22 | #21 | down 1 |
| cache id | #8 | #17 | down 1 |
| varnish cache | #14 | #17 | down 1 |
| object cache | #15 | #18 | down 3 |
| smart id | #9 | #18 | down 3 |
| responses | #24 | #23 | 0 |
| wp cache | #24 | #24 | down 2 |
| purge cache | #24 | #21 | 0 |
| no cache | #21 | #20 | 0 |
| performance cache | #24 | #22 | down 2 |
| api your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| performance your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
68 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 14 listed. 54 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “api”, “performance” and “cache” for “varnish cache”, “object cache” and “accurate”. “api” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “varnish cache” sits at #14 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “object cache” sits at #15 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “cache” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #22. “accurate” sits at #19 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 4 Dec 2022 · 1,428 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 15.2K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
10
releases in the last 12 months
10d ago
latest release · v2.3.4 · 21 Oct 2026
31
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “5K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 6 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 6K.
Install history since 3 Dec 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ blackdahlia1.7y ago
This plugin is an absolute life saver! This should just be baked into wpgraphql core honestly!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ psychosispicks3.2y ago
Transitioning to a Gatsby headless CMS showed me huge performance improvements, but at the cost of having to rebuild on every change.With this plugin, a Faust.js + Next.js website can be even faster and more convenient. The website is static and only what you change is being rebuilt on the fly, and cached, without you having to do anything.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jonathanmotes3.9y ago
Jason Bahl and WP Engine knocked it out of the part with this plugin. It makes headless WordPress truly scalable and provides a simple on-demand cache invalidation solution for Node.js hosting platforms and frontend frameworks that don’t have it built in.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ digallardox3.9y ago
The future of graphQL
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.2.2 Bug Fixes deps-dev: bump guzzlehttp/guzzle from 7.10.0 to 7.12.1 in /plugins/wp-graphql-smart-cache ( #3985 ) deps-dev: bump guzzlehttp/psr7 from 2.11.0 to 2.12.1 in /plugins/wp-graphql-smart-cache ( #3987 ) deps-dev: bu 2.2.2
- — Version 2.2.1 Bug Fixes deps-dev: bump symfony/dom-crawler from 5.4.48 to 5.4.52 in /plugins/wp-graphql-smart-cache ( #3856 ) deps-dev: bump symfony/yaml from 5.4.45 to 5.4.53 in /plugins/wp-graphql-smart-cache ( #3860 ) guard null co 2.2.1
- — Version 2.2.0 New Features support on-demand revalidation via graphql_purge ( #3810 ) 2.2.0
- — Version 2.1.0 New Features import WPGraphQL IDE into monorepo ( #3542 ) telemetry: mirror Appsero insights to telemetry.wpgraphql.com ( #3785 ) Bug Fixes resolve post by percent-encoded slug/URI when post_name is stored encoded ( #358 2.1.0
- — Version 2.0.1 Bugfixes #306 : fix: prevent authenticated request data from being cached and served to public users. This fixes an issue where the object cache could incorrectly cache responses from authenticated users (containing draf 2.0.1
- — Version 2.0.0 Breaking Changes This release includes breaking changes to be compatible with WPGraphQL 2.0.0. When upgrading WPGraphQL to v2.0.0, you must also upgrade WPGraphQL Smart Cache to v2.0.0. WPGraphQL Smart Cache v2.0.0 is no 2.0.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.3.4). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2025-12-12 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects < 2.0.1 Patched in 2.0.1
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 2 languages, 0 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names WPGraphQL Smart Cache when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 25 Oct 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Caching
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "WPGraphQL Smart Cache is a WordPress plugin that provides fast, accurate API responses by intelligently cac..."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 3 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,387 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "performance" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-25 6K+ → 5K+ down after 94 days in tier
- 2026-07-23 7K+ → 6K+ down after 68 days in tier
- 2026-05-16 6K+ → 7K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-05-15 7K+ → 6K+ down after 27 days in tier
- 2026-04-18 6K+ → 7K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2026-04-16 7K+ → 6K+ down after 20 days in tier
- 2026-03-27 6K+ → 7K+ up after 49 days in tier
- 2026-02-06 5K+ → 6K+ up after 1 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
WP Super Cache 1M+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
Breeze Cache 300K+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags B -
Jetpack Boost – Website Speed, Performance and Critical CSS 200K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Aruba HiSpeed Cache 100K+ installs · 3.5★ · 2 shared tags B -
Cache Enabler 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WPGraphQL Smart Cache into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wpgraphql-smart-cache" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WPGraphQL Smart Cache — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WPGraphQL Smart Cache: 5K+ active installs, 5.0★ (4 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wpgraphql-smart-cache
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