MyBB Performance: How to Reduce MyBB Server Load

hen running a forum, blog, or any kind of website, watching the server load is important. Server load is the amount of processes running on the server itself, website scripts such as MyBB and many others uses SQL queries which contributes to server load. While MyBB itself does not in any way create high server load, the various plugins and features an administrator decides to add to it can contribute to high MyBB server load.


Many users run their MyBB forums on shared hosting, meaning a server that hosts many other websites. A high server load can be caused by any of these users, so if there ever is a high server load, it may not be coming from your website. Nevertheless, if youre experiencing high MyBB server load coming from your forum however, then heres a few tips as a MyBB performance guide that can help reduce it.

1. Dont use so many MyBB plugins

This is most common, most plugins adds additional SQL queries which adds more to the MyBB server load. Dont use MyBB plugins you dont need, you can use simple template edits to MyBB for basic functions such as adding Google Analytics or creating a usergroup legend on your forum.

2. Use MyBB Debug Information to find where the high MyBB server load is

A useful function, debugging your forum is good for finding potential functions that are using many SQL queries that creates a high MyBB server load, usually these are plugins. Find the ones causing this and deactivate them if possible.


3. Adjust configurations for reducing MyBB server load

In admin CP > Configurations > Server and Optimization Options set ?Use GZip Page Compression? to yes and ?Enable Forum Jump Menu? to no. If high MyBB server load is a major issue for you then you can use the *NIX Load Limiting option, but be advised that this can decrease the amount of visitors to your forum depending on what number you set it at.

4. Move to paid hosting or a VPS/dedicated server

A lot of MyBB forums run on free hosting, and those can experience high server load a lot due to the abuse from other users on the servers and slows your forum down in the process, or maybe you have a lot of active users that are contributing to high MyBB server load. If either is the case, then you may need to consider moving to paid hosting, hosts like Hostgator run great with MyBB. They may cost a few dollars a month, but if youre serious about your forum youll make the decision to move to better quality hosting.

CONCLUSION
Dont wait until the last minute to do any of these, especially if your forum is the cause of high MyBB server load. Otherwise your webhost may suspend your account for ?abusing their servers. As mentioned before, the MyBB forum software hardly takes up any server load usage, but the various MyBB plugins can. Keep SQL queries low around your forum and that will generally reduce high MyBB server load.