WordPress Autoload: The Silent Performance Killer Most Developers Miss

TL;DR

The Problem: Most WordPress plugins use autoload=true by default, loading settings on every page whether needed or not
The Impact: 50+ plugins doing this = 2-4 MB of data loaded on every page = slow sites = poor SEO
The Solution: Use autoload=false for settings only needed on specific pages
The Misconception: autoload=false does NOT make options inaccessible – they work everywhere, just load differently
The Decision: If your option is used on less than 50% of pages, use autoload=false
The Stakes: This isn’t just about your plugin – it’s about being a responsible WordPress citizen

The 100-Byte Decision That Changed Everything

Recently, I was developing a Google Maps plugin for WordPress. I hit a seemingly simple line of code:

add_option('my_settings', $default_settings, '', true); // What should this be?

That fourth parameter, the autoload flag. Should it be true or false?

“Does it really matter?” I thought. “It’s just 100 bytes of settings.”

Spoiler alert: It matters. A lot.

And not just for my plugin. For every site running WordPress.

What Is Autoload? (The HTML Analogy That Finally Made It Click)

Think of WordPress autoload like the loading attribute in HTML images:

<!-- Load immediately when page starts (eager) -->
<img src="hero.jpg" loading="eager">

<!-- Only load when user scrolls near it (lazy) -->
<img src="footer-image.jpg" loading="lazy">

WordPress options work the exact same way:

// autoload=true: Load immediately when WordPress starts (eager)
add_option('my_key', $value); // autoload=true by default
add_option('my_key', $value, '', true); // Same as above

// autoload=false: Only load when you call get_option() (lazy)
add_option('my_key', $value, '', false);

Same concept, different context:

Eager/Autoload=true = Load upfront, ready when needed (default behavior)
Lazy/Autoload=false = Load only when actually called (performance optimization)

Just like you opt-in to loading="lazy" for images that don’t need immediate loading, you should opt-in to autoload=false for WordPress options that aren’t needed on every page.

Important: autoload=true is the default for WordPress options. You must explicitly set false to optimize.

The Common Misconception (That’s Costing You Performance)

Here’s what many developers get wrong:

“If I use autoload=false, my option won’t work in admin/frontend/AJAX!”

This is completely false.

Both autoload=true and autoload=false work perfectly in:

✅ Admin pages
✅ Frontend pages
✅ AJAX requests
✅ Everywhere get_option() is called

The only difference is when WordPress loads the data. That’s it.

What Actually Happens Behind the Scenes

Let me show you what WordPress does on every page load.

With Autoload=TRUE (The Eager Path)

Step 1: WordPress initialization (happens on EVERY page)

wp_load_alloptions(); // WordPress calls this automatically

Step 2: One big database query

SELECT option_name, option_value 
FROM wp_options 
WHERE autoload = 'yes';

This grabs everything:

Site URL, theme settings, active plugins list
Your plugin settings ← Even if not needed on this page!
Every other plugin’s autoloaded options

Step 3: When you call get_option()

$settings = get_option('my_settings');
// Found in cache! Returns immediately.
// No database query needed.

Cost: Loaded on 100% of pages, whether you need it or not.

With Autoload=FALSE (The Lazy Path)

Step 1 & 2: Same initialization, but your settings are NOT included in the big query

Step 3: When you call get_option() for the first time

$settings = get_option('my_settings');

// WordPress does this:
// 1. Check cache → NOT found
// 2. Run query: SELECT option_value WHERE option_name = 'my_settings'
// 3. Cache it for the rest of this page load
// 4. Return the value

Cost: One small query, but only on pages where you actually use the option.

My Plugin’s Real-World Scenario

Back to my Google Maps plugin. Here’s the reality:

What it does:

Displays interactive maps via shortcode
Settings: API key, default zoom, map height (~100 bytes total)

Where it’s used:

✅ Contact page
✅ Locations page
✅ Maybe 1-2 other pages

Where it’s NOT used:

❌ Homepage
❌ Blog posts (95% of site traffic)
❌ About page
❌ Product pages
❌ Most of the site

Question: Why would I load map settings on every blog post when there’s no map?

Answer: I shouldn’t. And neither should you.

The Math That Changed My Mind

Let’s say a typical site gets 10,000 monthly page views:

100 views to Contact page (has map)
9,900 views to other pages (no map needed)

With autoload=TRUE:

10,000 pages load the settings
9,900 pages loaded it for nothing
Wasted resources: 99% of the time

With autoload=FALSE:

100 pages load the settings (when actually needed)
9,900 pages don’t waste time loading them
Efficiency: 99% improvement

The Real Problem: Collective Impact

Here’s where it gets serious.

Over my career, I’ve worked with clients using 10 to 80+ plugins on their sites. Using multiple plugins isn’t bad, that’s the beauty of WordPress.

But here’s the problem:

If every plugin developer thinks “My 100 bytes won’t hurt!” and uses autoload=true…

Plugin 1: 100 bytes (autoload=true)
Plugin 2: 200 bytes (autoload=true)
Plugin 3: 150 bytes (autoload=true)
...
Plugin 50: 300 bytes (autoload=true)

= 2-4 MB of data loaded on EVERY page
= 180ms+ just to load options
= Slow site experience
= Poor Core Web Vitals
= Lower Google rankings

It’s not about your plugin alone. It’s about the collective approach that 50+ plugins take.

Why This Matters to Your Clients

The SEO Connection

Google’s Core Web Vitals directly affect rankings:

Bloated autoload 
  → Slow database query 
  → Delayed page start 
  → Poor LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) 
  → Lower rankings

Your plugin could be the reason a client’s site doesn’t rank well.

The Business Impact

Slow sites mean:

Higher bounce rates
Lost conversions
Poor user experience
Lower search rankings
Lost revenue

Studies show:

1 second delay = 7% reduction in conversions
53% of mobile users abandon sites that take over 3 seconds to load

Performance optimization isn’t just technical, it’s about your client’s bottom line.

How to Check Your Site’s Autoload Size

Install the Autoload Checker plugin to see your autoload data:

Install and activate the plugin
Go to Tools → Autoload Checker in WordPress dashboard
Review:
- Total Autoload Size at the top
- Table of all autoloaded options sorted by size
- Easy identification of bloated options

What the numbers mean:

Size	Status	Action Needed
< 800 KB	Healthy	Keep monitoring
800 KB – 3 MB	Warning	Consider optimizing
> 3 MB	Problem	Urgent optimization needed

WordPress experts recommend keeping autoloaded data between 300 KB and 1 MB for optimal performance.

Why This Matters to Us as Developers

Amateur Thinking:

“It works on my test site, ship it!”
“100 bytes won’t hurt!”
“Just use autoload=true everywhere”
Doesn’t think about scale or collective impact

Professional Thinking:

“Will this scale to 100,000 pageviews?”
“If all plugins think this way, what’s the collective impact?”
“Is this option needed on most pages? If not, use false.”
Understands responsibility to the ecosystem

Most developers don’t know this. You do now.

When you can explain to clients:

“I used autoload=false because your shortcode only appears on 2 pages”
“This will scale better as your traffic grows”
“I’m being a good WordPress citizen”

Clients see you as an expert, not just a coder.

The Ecosystem Responsibility

WordPress powers 43% of the web.

If we plugin developers don’t care about performance:

WordPress gets a reputation for being “slow”
People switch to other platforms
Ecosystem suffers
Our business opportunities shrink

If we ARE responsible:

WordPress sites run fast
Platform reputation improves
More people use it
More opportunities for everyone

You’re not just building a plugin. You’re contributing to the platform’s future.

How to Make the Right Decision

Ask yourself ONE question:

“On how many pages is this option used?”

Usage	Autoload Setting	Example
80%+ of pages	`TRUE`	Theme colors, site logo, footer contact info
Less than 50% of pages	`FALSE`	Shortcode settings, widget configs, Google Maps key
Only in admin	`FALSE`	Plugin activation flags, admin preferences
Large data (> 1KB)	`FALSE`	No matter what! Cached data, serialized arrays

Golden Rule: Default to FALSE unless you have a strong reason to use TRUE.

Why? Most plugins are feature-specific (not site-wide). Being conservative = being a good WordPress citizen.

Use Autoload=TRUE When:

Option is needed on every page (or most pages)
Option is accessed in wp_head or early in page load
Option is very small (< 50 bytes)
Performance on every page is critical

Examples: Theme settings, critical plugin configs

Use Autoload=FALSE When:

Option is only needed on specific pages
Option is only used in admin dashboard
Option is large (> 1KB)
Option is accessed less frequently

Examples: Widget settings, shortcode configs, module options

Code Examples: Doing It Right

The Default (Usually Wrong):

// Autoloads on every page by default
add_option('my_google_maps_settings', $defaults);

The Optimized Way:

// Only loads when you call get_option('my_google_maps_settings')
add_option('my_google_maps_settings', $defaults, '', false);

Document Your Decision:

/**
 * Google Maps settings
 * autoload=false because:
 * - Only used on 2-3 pages (contact, locations)
 * - Not needed on blog posts (95% of traffic)
 */
add_option('my_google_maps_settings', $defaults, '', false);

This comment shows you thought about it, that’s professional.

Final Thoughts

Every line of code you write has impact, not just on your plugin, but on every page load, every user experience, and the WordPress ecosystem as a whole.

That fourth parameter in add_option()? It’s not just a boolean.

Key Takeaways:

Default to autoload=false unless you have a strong reason for true
Think about scale – 100,000 pageviews, not just your local test site
Consider collective impact – if 50 plugins make the same choice, what happens?
Document your decision – add a comment explaining why
Test at scale – use tools like Autoload Checker
Be a good WordPress citizen – we’re all in this together

Have you checked your plugin’s autoload settings? Let me know what you found – I’d love to hear your experience in the comments below.