How to migrate a WordPress website to the edge with WordPress EdgeAccelerator
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WordPress EdgeAccelerator is a template designed by Azion that helps you to migrate your WordPress website to run on the edge of the network.
This template creates a new Azion edge application and domain, which enables you to manage and run your project on the edge. Additionally, it defines some key configurations to successfully deploy and implement the project, including common cache rules, image file cache rules, static file cache rules, and bypass routes. These configurations optimize your WordPress website’s performance.
Getting the template
Section titled Getting the templateTo migrate an existing WordPress website to the edge using this template, proceed as follows:
- Access Real-Time Manager (RTM).
- If you don’t have an account yet, create a new one by visiting the sign-up page.
- On the homepage, select the Start with a template option.
- Find the WordPress EdgeAccelerator card and select it.
- Click the Settings tab to open the configuration form.
Setting up the template
Section titled Setting up the templateIn the configuration form, you must provide the information to configure your Azion application. Fill in the presented fields.
Fields identified with an asterisk are mandatory.
- Application Name *: the name of your edge application. It’s used to identify and manage your application within Azion’s platform.
- Use a unique and easy-to-remember name. If the name has already been used, the platform returns an error message.
- Origin Address *: the address of your hosted origin. This information is crucial for the edge application to know where to fetch the original content from.
- For example:
www.yourwebsite.com
.
- For example:
- Custom host header: in some cases, it may be necessary to add host information in the header request to retrieve information from the origin. This variable is used for that purpose.
- For example:
${host}
. Read more about the Host Header and how to customize it on the Origins documentation.
- For example:
After completing all the information, click the Next button, located in the bottom-right corner. This will start the deployment process.
Deploying your project to the edge
Section titled Deploying your project to the edgeDuring the deployment, you’ll be able to follow the process through a window showing off the logs. When it’s complete, the deployment page appears, confirming the edge application for your project has been successfully created.
This page shows you the following sections:
- Access your Edge Application section includes the link to visit and explore your edge application.
- Build Summary contains the application’s name and function.
- The Deployment details tab can be opened to access the logs related to the deployment.
- What do you want to do next? provides recommendations regarding advanced options to enhance your edge application: Customize Domain, Manage Edge Application, View Edge Application Metrics, View Edge Application Logs, and the Back to Home button.
Key configurations
Section titled Key configurationsThis template creates a new Azion edge application and its domain, as well as defines some key configurations, including common cache rules, image file cache rules, static file cache rules, and bypass routes to optimize your WordPress website’s performance.
To know more on how to edit and customize your project’s settings, go to the Managing your project on Azion section.
Additionally, to guarantee the optimal performance of this template, it’s necessary to activate the following Azion products:
You must activate the products separately via RTM. To do so:
- Access RTM.
- On the upper-left corner, select the three horizontal lines to open the Products menu.
- In the BUILD section, select Edge Application.
- You’ll be redirected to the Edge Application page.
- It lists all the edge applications you’ve created.
- Find the edge application related to your template and select it.
- In the Main Settings tab, find the Edge Application Modules section and activate the switch for the product you want to enable.
Managing your project on Azion
Section titled Managing your project on AzionConsidering that this initial setup may not be optimal for your specific edge application, all settings can be customized any time you need by using Azion Real-Time Manager (RTM).
To manage and edit your edge application’s settings, follow these steps:
- Access RTM.
- On the upper-left corner, select the three horizontal lines to open the Products menu.
- In the BUILD section, select Edge Application. You’ll be redirected to the Edge Application page.
- It lists all the edge applications you’ve created.
- Find the edge application related to your WordPress website and select it.
- The list is organized alphabetically. You can also use the search bar located in the upper-left corner of the list; currently, it filters only by Application Name.
After selecting the edge application you’ll work on, you’re directed to a page containing all the settings you can configure.
Additionally, once the template is deployed, you also have full control over customizing your website’s design, content, and functionality using the WordPress admin panel.
Adding a custom domain
Section titled Adding a custom domainThe edge application created during the deployment has an assigned Azion domain to make it accessible through the browser. The domain has the following format: xxxxxxxxxx.map.azionedge.net/
. However, you can add a custom domain for users to access your edge application through it.
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