Add warning notice to Speculative Loading setting for authenticated users when persistent object cache is not present #2144

b1ink0 · 2025-08-21T19:29:08Z

Summary

Relevant technical choices

This PR adds a warning notice when users try to enable speculative loading for logged-in users without having a persistent object cache set up. The warning shows up right away when clicked on the "Administrators and logged-out visitors" or "Any user" options.

Demo2.mp4

…ersistent object cache

codecov · 2025-08-21T19:38:24Z

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 97.91667% with 1 line in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 68.74%. Comparing base (3d88f7b) to head (639bd9d).
⚠️ Report is 17 commits behind head on trunk.

Files with missing lines	Patch %	Lines
plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php	97.91%	1 Missing ⚠️

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##            trunk    #2144      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   68.61%   68.74%   +0.13%     
==========================================
  Files          91       91              
  Lines        7956     7996      +40     
==========================================
+ Hits         5459     5497      +38     
- Misses       2497     2499       +2

Flag	Coverage Δ
multisite	`68.74% <97.91%> (+0.13%)`	⬆️
single	`35.45% <91.66%> (-0.23%)`	⬇️

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westonruter · 2025-08-21T20:45:30Z

I think the warning should be added below the radio buttons, as otherwise this causes a layout shift in the UI and makes it difficult to undo the change. Alternatively, what if the notice is always displayed but as info, and then if someone switches to the non-default option, it then becomes a warning?

westonruter · 2025-08-21T20:47:20Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

 						),
 						'authentication' => array(
-							'description' => __( 'Only unauthenticated pages are typically served from cache. So in order to reduce load on the server, speculative loading is not enabled by default for logged-in users. If your server can handle the additional load, you can opt in to speculative loading for all logged-in users or just administrator users only. This only applies to pages on frontend; admin screens remain excluded.', 'speculation-rules' ),
+							'description' => __( 'Only unauthenticated pages are typically served from cache. So in order to reduce load on the server, speculative loading is not enabled by default for logged-in users. If your server can handle the additional load, you can opt in to speculative loading for all logged-in users or just administrator users only. For optimal performance when enabling authenticated user support, ensure you have a persistent object cache configured. This only applies to pages on frontend; admin screens remain excluded.', 'speculation-rules' ),


Maybe the same string from below could be used, but then pass it through strip_tags()?

Aside: It is unfortunate to have these translations strings duplicated in this file. Maybe there should be a helper function that returns a translation string for a given key which can then be used in both places.

Done in 6969eae.

westonruter · 2025-08-21T20:50:44Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

+		<script>
+		( function () {
+			const authRadios = document.querySelectorAll( '.plsr-auth-radio' );
+			const warningDiv = document.getElementById( 'plsr-auth-warning' );
+			const authenticatedOptions = <?php echo wp_json_encode( $authenticated_options ); ?>;
+
+			if ( ! authRadios.length || ! warningDiv ) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			authRadios.forEach( function ( radio ) {
+				radio.addEventListener( 'change', function ( e ) {
+					warningDiv.hidden = ! authenticatedOptions.includes( e.target.value );
+				} );
+			} );
+		} )();
+		</script>


This should use wp_print_inline_script_tag() along with type="module". This will ensure it is compatible with CSP and the use of script modules will eliminate the need for the IIFE wrapper, since modules do not pollute the global scope.

Related:

Flag any manual construction of inline <script> tags WordPress-Coding-Standards#2575

Done in 33eee8e.

But this change caused the JavaScript to lose syntax highlighting.

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

westonruter · 2025-08-21T20:55:48Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

+				<?php
+				printf(
+					/* translators: %s: URL to persistent object cache documentation */
+					esc_html__( 'Enabling speculative loading for authenticated users without a persistent object cache may significantly increase server load. Consider setting up a %s before enabling this feature for logged-in users.', 'speculation-rules' ),


This may be easier for translators, since "persistent object cache" appears inline with the sentence it is related to. For example, in some languages, "persistent object cache" would be translated differently if it is a subject or an object.

__( 'Enabling speculative loading for authenticated users without a persistent object cache may significantly increase server load. Consider setting up a <a href="%s" target="_blank">persistent object cache</a> before enabling this feature for logged-in users.', 'speculation-rules' ),

Examples: https://github.com/search?q=repo%3AWordPress%2Fwordpress-develop%20%2F__%5C(.%2B%3F%3Ca%2F&type=code

Done in 33eee8e.

westonruter · 2025-08-21T23:04:10Z

Alternatively, what if the notice is always displayed but as info, and then if someone switches to the non-default option, it then becomes a warning?

The benefit here is that it adds more visibility to the lack of a persistent object cache, which is important also for Speculative Loading generally when there is a page cache MISS.

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

b1ink0 · 2025-08-22T13:41:01Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

+				<p>
+					<strong id="plsr-notice-label" <?php echo $show_warning ? '' : 'hidden'; ?>><?php esc_html_e( 'Warning: ', 'speculation-rules' ); ?></strong>
+					<?php
+					echo wp_kses(


Alternatively, what if the notice is always displayed but as info, and then if someone switches to the non-default option, it then becomes a warning?

The benefit here is that it adds more visibility to the lack of a persistent object cache, which is important also for Speculative Loading generally when there is a page cache MISS.

Makes sense. I’ve now added the persistence notice as shown below:

demo1.mp4

I have added a bold Warning: text when there is a warning. Do you think the change of color in the notice is enough, or should the Warning: text be included as well? It does make the text slide.

cc: @westonruter

I think the warning text is a nice touch, but it may be over the top. The main downside I see is that it causes the text to reflow. Let's try removing.

Also, I think the warning could be placed above the description so that it doesn't get missed when the user hasn't scrolled down enough to see it.

Done in 3ced504.

Now it looks like this:

Demo2.mp4

That looks good.

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

westonruter · 2025-08-22T15:13:48Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

+				'const authRadios = document.querySelectorAll( ".plsr-auth-radio" );
+				const noticeDiv = document.getElementById( "plsr-auth-notice" );
+				const noticeLabel = document.getElementById( "plsr-notice-label" );
+				const authenticatedOptions = %s;


I think this can be avoided simply by checking by checking the index of the radio input. Index 0 is the first and default. Any index other than that is for an authenticated option.

Done in 980c484.

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

…options array Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

westonruter · 2025-08-22T16:02:59Z

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

+		$js = <<<'JS'
+			const authRadios = document.querySelectorAll( "input[name='plsr_speculation_rules[authentication]']" );
+			const noticeDiv = document.getElementById( "plsr-auth-notice" );
+
+			if ( authRadios.length && noticeDiv ) {
+				authRadios.forEach( function ( radio, index ) {
+					radio.addEventListener( "change", function ( e ) {
+						// Index 0 is logged_out, any other index is authenticated option.
+						const isAuthOption = index > 0;
+
+						if ( isAuthOption ) {
+							noticeDiv.classList.remove( "notice-info" );
+							noticeDiv.classList.add( "notice-warning" );
+						} else {
+							noticeDiv.classList.remove( "notice-warning" );
+							noticeDiv.classList.add( "notice-info" );
+						}
+					} );
+				} );
+			}
+JS;
+		// 👆 This can only be indented two tabs when minimum PHP version is increased to 7.3+.
+		wp_print_inline_script_tag( $js, array( 'type' => 'module' ) );


In PhpStorm:

Before After

See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59444

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

plugins/speculation-rules/settings.php

github-actions · 2025-08-22T17:10:17Z

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Co-authored-by: b1ink0 <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: westonruter <[email protected]>

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westonruter · 2025-08-22T22:38:14Z

Capturing videos of mobile and desktop for the latest state:

Screen.Recording.2025-08-22.at.15.35.14.mov

Screen.Recording.2025-08-22.at.15.35.53.mov

westonruter

Thank you!

Show notice when enabling authenticated speculative loading without p…

0c88edf

…ersistent object cache

b1ink0 added this to the speculation-rules n.e.x.t milestone Aug 21, 2025

b1ink0 requested a review from westonruter August 21, 2025 19:29

b1ink0 added [Type] Enhancement A suggestion for improvement of an existing feature [Plugin] Speculative Loading Issues for the Speculative Loading plugin (formerly Speculation Rules) labels Aug 21, 2025

westonruter reviewed Aug 21, 2025

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b1ink0 and others added 3 commits August 22, 2025 16:56

Use safer JSON encoding flags for inline JavaScript

e37a5cd

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

Make notice persistent to eliminate layout shifts

33eee8e

Add helper function to eliminate duplicate translation strings

6969eae

b1ink0 commented Aug 22, 2025

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b1ink0 and others added 5 commits August 22, 2025 20:52

Add missed @access annotation

befe097

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

Instead of adding custom class, use a direct selector

d285b72

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

Simplify auth radio handling by using index instead of authenticated …

980c484

…options array Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

Remove warning text and reorder notice above description

3ced504

Use nowdoc

1143210

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b1ink0 and others added 2 commits August 22, 2025 21:42

Escape notice class attribute

b2dade9

Co-authored-by: Weston Ruter <[email protected]>

Improve conciseness of JS

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westonruter mentioned this pull request Aug 22, 2025

Do not use HEREDOC or NOWDOC syntax in your plugins WordPress/plugin-check#792

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b1ink0 marked this pull request as ready for review August 22, 2025 17:10

b1ink0 requested a review from felixarntz as a code owner August 22, 2025 17:10

westonruter and others added 2 commits August 22, 2025 10:27

Add PCP appeal comment

7399ad2

Improve test coverage and move tag stripping to output

6bcf9f1

westonruter added 2 commits August 22, 2025 15:50

Use event delegaction as advised by Gemini

538bcc7

Further iterate on the warning and description

823018e

westonruter approved these changes Aug 22, 2025

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Remove unnecessary variables and consolidate changes

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westonruter merged commit 15e51bc into WordPress:trunk Aug 22, 2025
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westonruter mentioned this pull request Aug 23, 2025

Reconsider disallowing heredoc and nowdoc WordPress/plugin-check#1036

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Add warning notice to Speculative Loading setting for authenticated users when persistent object cache is not present #2144

Add warning notice to Speculative Loading setting for authenticated users when persistent object cache is not present #2144

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