Oxford Metadata Ltd

Menu Optimizer is a powerful performance optimization plugin that generates static HTML files for your WordPress menus, dramatically reducing server load and improving page load times.
Real-World Success: This optimization technique helped achieve the first WooCommerce store with a perfect 100/100 mobile score on Google PageSpeed Insights. <a href="https://wp-rocket.me/blog/100-mobile-score-woocommerce/" rel="nofollow ugc">Read the WP Rocket case study</a>
Why Menu Caching Matters
Menu generation requires significant compute time on WordPress and WooCommerce sites. Every page load requires WordPress to: 
* Query the database for menu items 
* Process menu hierarchy 
* Apply filters and hooks 
* Render HTML output
Menu Optimizer eliminates this overhead by pre-generating menu HTML files that are served instantly.
The DOM Size Problem
Google Lighthouse triggers warnings when a page exceeds 1,500 DOM nodes (HTML elements). For e-commerce sites with extensive product categories:
<ul>
<li>A mega menu with 200-300 categories can generate 3,000-5,000+ DOM elements</li>
<li>Each nested menu item multiplies the element count</li>
<li>This exceeds Google’s limits and hurts Core Web Vitals scores</li>
</ul>
Menu Optimizer’s lazy loading keeps your initial DOM size under 1,500 nodes by loading only top-level items (typically 50-100 elements). Submenus load on-demand, maintaining excellent performance.
Key Features
<ul>
<li>Performance Boost – Reduces menu rendering time with static file caching</li>
<li>Multiple Menu Support – Cache and display multiple menus independently on the same page</li>
<li>Horizontal & Vertical Layouts – Supports both menu orientations for flexible placement</li>
<li>Static File Generation – Pre-generates HTML files for instant delivery</li>
<li>Lazy Loading – Top-level items load instantly; submenus load on first hover</li>
<li>Smart Caching – Uses localStorage for even faster subsequent loads</li>
<li>Max Mega Menu Compatible – Fully supports complex mega menu layouts</li>
<li>Easy Integration – Simple shortcode implementation</li>
<li>Translation Ready – Full i18n support with included POT file</li>
<li>CDN Compatible – Works seamlessly with caching plugins and CDNs</li>
</ul>
Performance Benefits
✓ Keeps DOM size under Google’s 1,500-node limit with lazy loading 
✓ Reduces server CPU usage by offloading menu generation 
✓ Decreases Time To First Byte (TTFB) 
✓ Improves Core Web Vitals scores (LCP, CLS, INP) 
✓ Reduces database queries per page load 
✓ Compatible with WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, and other caching plugins
Perfect For
<ul>
<li>WooCommerce stores with complex category menus</li>
<li>Sites with large mega menus</li>
<li>High-traffic websites</li>
<li>Sites on shared hosting</li>
<li>Performance-critical applications</li>
<li>Stores aiming for 100/100 PageSpeed scores</li>
</ul>
Proven Results
This menu optimization technique was used in a WooCommerce store that achieved a 100/100 Google PageSpeed mobile score.
Learn more: <a href="https://wp-rocket.me/blog/100-mobile-score-woocommerce/" rel="nofollow ugc">WP Rocket Case Study – 100/100 Mobile Score for WooCommerce</a>
<h3>Credits</h3>
Developed by Oxford Metadata Ltd 
Contact: dimitris.vayenas@oxfordmetadata.co.uk
Special thanks to the WordPress community for their valuable feedback and contributions.
<h3>Support</h3>
For support, please visit the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/static-menu-cache" rel="ugc">WordPress.org support forum</a> or contact us at dimitris.vayenas@oxfordmetadata.co.uk.
<h3>Privacy</h3>
This plugin: 
* Does not collect any user data 
* Does not make external API calls 
* Does not use cookies 
* Stores cached menu files locally on your server 
* Uses localStorage only for client-side caching (optional)
<h3>Performance Tips</h3>
<ol>
<li>Combine with a caching plugin – Use WP Rocket or similar for full-page caching</li>
<li>Enable lazy loading – The plugin does this automatically</li>
<li>Use a CDN – Serve static menu files from a CDN for global performance</li>
<li>Regenerate regularly – Update cache whenever you modify your menu structure</li>
<li>Customize CSS via Customizer – Use WordPress’s built-in Customizer for menu styling</li>
</ol>
<h3>Technical Details</h3>
File Structure: 
* Top menu file – Loads instantly with page (minimal HTML) 
* Full menu file – Lazy loads on first interaction (complete with submenus) 
* CSS options – None, Max Mega Menu auto-detect, or custom 
* Storage location – <code>wp-content/uploads/menu-optimizer/</code>
Browser Compatibility: 
* Chrome 90+ 
* Firefox 88+ 
* Safari 14+ 
* Edge 90+
Server Requirements: 
* PHP 7.4 or higher 
* WordPress 5.8 or higher 
* Write permissions to uploads directory

Menu Optimizer

Boost site speed with static menu caching. Lazy-load submenus to keep DOM size under 1,500 nodes for better Core Web Vitals.

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<h3>Features</h3>
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<li>One-click site optimization</li>
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<li>Dashboard with performance summary</li>
</ul>

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