Set up LiteSpeed Cache on Joomla

LiteSpeed Cache connects Joomla to the server's cache to reuse compatible responses. Before installing it, check that the package supports your exact Joomla and PHP branch, keep a recoverable backup and test on a copy of the site.

Install the extension

1. Review the existing page caching plugins, such as System - Page Cache or JotCache, and disable them following their instructions to avoid conflicts.
2. Download the compatible package from the official LiteSpeed guide for Joomla.
3. In the Joomla administrator, open the extension installer. In current versions you find it under System; in older versions it was under Extensions > Manage > Install.
4. Upload the ZIP and check that the installation completes successfully.
5. Review the installed plugins and enable the LiteSpeed components the package indicates.

Keeping the existing rules, the integration requires cache lookup to be enabled in the .htaccess in Joomla's public root:

<IfModule LiteSpeed>
    CacheLookup on
</IfModule>

Do not replace the whole file with this block. If an edit causes a 500 error, restore that change and check the log.

Configure and check

Find LiteSpeed Cache among the components and their options. Review activation, lifetime and exclusions for your site. Do not force public caching on private areas, forms or content that changes per user.

Visit a public page twice without logging in and check the headers of a later request to see whether a cache hit appears. Also test login, logout, languages, permissions and forms with two independent sessions.

Purge changes or remove the integration

From the component's management screen you can purge the affected responses or the whole cache. Check that editing an article updates its related pages; custom developments may need an additional policy.

If a setting breaks a feature, revert it and purge the affected cache. To remove LiteSpeed Cache, disable its integration and purge before uninstalling the extension. Keep Joomla's other rules and check the site again.