When the database is the bottleneck.
THE SYMPTOM
Pages slow even with caching, particularly for logged-in users or in the admin area.
COMMON CAUSES
A plugin running an expensive query on every page Very large tables with no useful index Autoloaded options in WordPress, loaded on every request A poorly built query in custom code
THE AUTOLOAD PROBLEM
WordPress loads certain options on every page.
Plugins sometimes store large amounts there and never clean up.
A site with several megabytes of autoloaded data is noticeably slow.
HOW TO CHECK
A query-monitoring plugin shows which queries run and how long they take.
Use it on a staging copy where possible; it adds overhead.
WHAT TO DO WITH FINDINGS
Identify the plugin responsible.
Frequently the answer is to remove or replace it.
WHEN TO ASK US
If you have established the problem is server-side rather than in your site.
Open a ticket with what you found.
