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Proxy Cache Purge

By Danila Vershinin

Performance & Optimization / Caching Solutions

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Proxy Cache Purge Review - In-Depth Analysis

Automatically empties proxy cached content when your site is modified.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.77/10

User Rating

4.4/5 (based on 26+ reviews)

Active Installations

50,000+

Update Frequency

Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin does not install nor configure a cache proxy. It acts as an interface with such services. One common method of caching content for websites is via the use of reverse proxy caching, such as Varnish and NGINX. These systems allow a website to update content while caching the visitor's experience without using up a user's disk space.

The Proxy Cache Purge plugin sends a request to delete the cached data of a page or post every time it is modified. When content on a site is updated, the plugin reaches out to the proxy cache service with the URL of the page, requesting the cache be deleted.

Not all pages are deleted from the cache on every change. For example, when a post or page is edited, only specific pages will be purged, including the front page and the post/page edited. The entire cache will be deleted on certain actions, such as changing themes or pressing the Empty Cache button.

Comparing to Alternatives

Proxy Cache Purge is a specialized plugin designed to work with Varnish cache servers, offering precise cache purging capabilities. It competes with other Varnish-focused plugins but stands out for its simplicity and reliability.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Effectively purges Varnish cache with minimal configuration.
Lightweight and unobtrusive when not in use.
Compatible with various cache server types.
No known security vulnerabilities.
Highly rated for reliability and ease of use.

Weaknesses

Limited documentation on expected headers for advanced setups.
Compatibility issues with certain NGINX reverse proxy configurations.
Lacks updates for newer PHP versions beyond 7.1.
No premium version with extended features.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star ratings and very few low ratings, users generally praise the plugin for its effectiveness and reliability. However, some users have encountered technical challenges with specific server setups.

Positive highlights

"Just saying thank you for this plugin" - Dave Loodts
"Works Precisely As Advertised" - random9q
"Simply Works" - Skrlance
"Finally! I had lot of problems with cache but this solved them!" - manuamaro
"ОТЛИЧНО, СПАСИБО ВАМ!" - senatmedia

Common complaints

Plugin complains about missing Age header when used with remote NGINX reverse proxy.
Lack of helpful documentation regarding expected headers for proper operation.

Weaknesses

Limited support for PHP versions newer than 7.1.
Some users find it challenging to configure with certain proxy setups.
No clear guidance on header requirements for dynamic content caching.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users running WordPress sites with Varnish cache servers who need a reliable and straightforward cache purging solution without extra bloat.

Not ideal for

Users relying on complex NGINX reverse proxy configurations or those needing compatibility with the latest PHP versions beyond 7.1 may find this plugin less suitable.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers full functionality for purging Varnish cache, sufficient for most users' needs.

Final Verdict

Proxy Cache Purge is a dependable and well-rated plugin that effectively manages cache purging for Varnish servers. Its simplicity and lack of security issues make it a solid choice for users with standard Varnish setups.

However, users with advanced NGINX proxy configurations or those requiring compatibility with newer PHP versions might encounter limitations. Despite this, its free availability and strong user satisfaction make it a valuable tool for many WordPress administrators.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Proxy Cache Purge plugin.

Cache

Nginx

Proxy

Purge

Varnish

Screenshots

FAQ

This plugin was originally adopted and updated for DreamHost’s DreamPress server, however it is not (and never has been) for DreamHost only.

I worked at DreamHost from 2012 to 2022, and have maintained the plugin since around 2014 or so.

As of October 2023, this plugin is NO LONGER installed by default on DreamPress.

Today, the plugin is maintained by GetPageSpeed, with a focus on advanced NGINX and proxy caching deployments and strong compatibility with the NGINX cache-purge module from the NGINX Extras collection.

Yes. If your environment doesn’t cache logged-in users and you want to avoid purge noise from autosaves/drafts, you can exclude specific statuses network‑wide via wp-config.php (multisite‑friendly).

Add a define to exclude drafts:

define( 'VHP_EXCLUDED_POST_STATUSES', 'draft' );

Exclude multiple statuses (comma‑separated):

define( 'VHP_EXCLUDED_POST_STATUSES', 'draft,pending' );

Or pass an array:

define( 'VHP_EXCLUDED_POST_STATUSES', array( 'draft', 'pending' ) );

Developers can also use a filter to adjust the valid statuses programmatically:

add_filter( 'varnish_http_purge_valid_post_statuses', function( $statuses, $post_id ) {     return array_diff( $statuses, array( 'draft' ) ); }, 10, 2 );

By default, the plugin considers these statuses for purge URL generation: publish, private, trash, pending, draft.

Some providers require a control key, token, or Authorization header to accept PURGE requests. You can set a header name and value via the settings page or via the following constant:

define( 'VHP_VARNISH_EXTRA_PURGE_HEADER', 'X-Control-Key: YOUR_CONTROL_KEY_HERE' );

Alternatively, you can inject any required header via a filter.

Set where PURGE requests should be sent (host:port, no scheme):

define( ‘VHP_VARNISH_IP’, ‘varnish.example.com:6081’ );
Add your control key/auth header via a small MU plugin so it loads on every request. Create wp-content/mu-plugins/varnish-purge-auth.php with:

<?php
add_filter( ‘varnish_http_purge_headers’, function( $headers ) {
// Example: provider expects a custom key header
$headers[‘X-Control-Key’] = ‘YOUR_CONTROL_KEY_HERE’;
```
// Or use Authorization headers: // $headers['Authorization'] = 'Basic ' . base64_encode( 'username:password' ); // $headers['Authorization'] = 'Bearer ' . 'YOUR_TOKEN_HERE';  return $headers; 
```
} );

If your provider requires HTTPS for the purge endpoint, force the schema:

add_filter( 'varnish_http_purge_schema', function() { return 'https://'; } );

Important: This plugin sends HTTP PURGE requests to your cache service. It does not use the Varnish management interface (varnishadm/secret on port 6082).

You can use varnish_http_purge_x_varnish_header_name filter to customize this header name, like below to resolve this:

function change_varnish_header( $default_header ) {     return 'My-Custom-Header'; // Replace with the desired header } add_filter( 'varnish_http_purge_x_varnish_header_name', 'change_varnish_header' );