W3 Total Cache: Two Versions of the Same Page Based on a String Query in the URL

Have you ever encountered a situation where you need to serve two different versions of the same page based on a specific string query in the URL? Perhaps you want to display a desktop-specific layout for users with a certain browser width, or maybe you need to render a different template for users with a specific language preference. Whatever the reason, W3 Total Cache has got you covered! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to leverage W3 Total Cache to create two versions of the same page based on a string query in the URL.

Understanding W3 Total Cache

Before we dive into the meat of the matter, let’s take a brief moment to understand what W3 Total Cache is and how it works. W3 Total Cache is a powerful caching plugin for WordPress that aims to improve the performance and speed of your website. It achieves this by caching your website’s pages, posts, and database queries, reducing the load on your server and resulting in faster page loads for your users.

Cache Variations

One of the key features of W3 Total Cache is its ability to create cache variations based on various parameters, such as user agent, referrer, and query strings. This is where we’ll focus our attention in this article, as we’ll be using W3 Total Cache’s query string cache variation feature to create two versions of the same page based on a specific string query in the URL.

Setting Up Cache Variations in W3 Total Cache

To get started, you’ll need to have W3 Total Cache installed and activated on your WordPress website. Once you’ve done that, follow these steps to set up cache variations:

1. Go to the W3 Total Cache settings page (wp-admin/admin.php?page=w3tc_dashboard) and click on the “Page Cache” tab.
2. Scroll down to the “Cache Variations” section and click on the “Add a cache variation” button.
3. In the “Cache Variation” field, enter a unique name for your cache variation (e.g., “desktop_layout”).
4. In the “Query String” field, enter the specific string query you want to use to trigger this cache variation (e.g., ?layout=desktop). You can use the “%” wildcard character to match multiple query strings.
5. Click the “Save & Close” button to save your cache variation.

Repeat the above steps to create a second cache variation for the alternative version of your page. For example, you could create a cache variation called “mobile_layout” with a query string of ?layout=mobile.

Creating Two Versions of the Same Page

Now that we have our cache variations set up, let’s create two versions of the same page based on the query string in the URL. We’ll use a simple PHP conditional statement to determine which version of the page to display.

<?php
if (isset($_GET['layout']) && $_GET['layout'] == 'desktop') {
    // Display desktop-specific layout
    get_template_part('template-parts/desktop_layout');
} else {
    // Display mobile-specific layout
    get_template_part('template-parts/mobile_layout');
}
?>

In the above code, we’re checking if the layout query string parameter is set and equals “desktop”. If it does, we’re displaying the desktop-specific layout using the get_template_part function. If not, we’re displaying the mobile-specific layout.

Using a Conditional Statement in Your Template File

In your template file (e.g., page.php), you can add the following conditional statement to determine which version of the page to display:

<?php if (isset($_GET['layout']) && $_GET['layout'] == 'desktop'): ?>
    <!-- Desktop-specific layout HTML here -->
<?php else: ?>
    <!-- Mobile-specific layout HTML here -->
<?php endif; ?>

Make sure to update your template file to reflect the changes.

Testing Your Cache Variations

Now that we’ve set up our cache variations and created two versions of the same page, let’s test them out!

1. Access your webpage in a browser and append the query string ?layout=desktop to the URL (e.g., https://example.com/?layout=desktop). You should see the desktop-specific layout.
2. Access the same webpage with the query string ?layout=mobile (e.g., https://example.com/?layout=mobile). You should see the mobile-specific layout.

If you’ve set up everything correctly, W3 Total Cache should cache two separate versions of your page based on the query string in the URL.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you’re experiencing issues with your cache variations, here are some troubleshooting tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure you’ve cleared your browser cache and W3 Total Cache’s cache after making changes to your cache variations.
• Verify that your query string is correctly formatted and matches the cache variation you created in W3 Total Cache.
• Check your website’s URL rewrite rules to ensure they’re not interfering with W3 Total Cache’s cache variation feature.

Cache Variation	Query String	Description
desktop_layout	?layout=desktop	Displays desktop-specific layout
mobile_layout	?layout=mobile	Displays mobile-specific layout

In this article, we’ve explored how to use W3 Total Cache’s cache variation feature to create two versions of the same page based on a specific string query in the URL. By following these steps and troubleshooting tips, you should be able to create a seamless user experience for your website visitors, regardless of their device or browser type.

Remember to always test your cache variations thoroughly to ensure they’re working as intended. Happy caching!

Note: This article is for illustration purposes only and may require modification to fit your specific use case. Be sure to test and adapt the code and instructions to suit your website’s needs.

Frequently Asked Question

W3 Total Cache is an amazing plugin, but it can get a bit tricky when it comes to handling multiple versions of the same page based on URL query strings. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to help you navigate this complex topic.