Cybersalt SiteGround Cache is a free Joomla 5/6 system plugin that integrates with SiteGroundโs server-side dynamic cache. It auto-purges SiteGroundโs cache when your content changes, sets the right HTTP cache headers, and strips Joomlaโs session cookie on cacheable anonymous responses so the SiteGround edge can actually cache them. Without that last piece, SiteGround returns SKIP_CACHE_SET_COOKIE on every guest hit and the dynamic cache is effectively a no-op for crawlers and first-time visitors.
Why this exists
SiteGround hosting ships a reverse-proxy cache that stores copies of your pages for fast delivery. The piece thatโs been missing for Joomla sites is a way to tell SiteGroundโs cache when content changes โ and to clear the way for the cache to actually fire on anonymous traffic. Without both, you either disable the cache and lose the performance or leave it on and serve stale pages until the TTL expires. This plugin closes that gap, including the Set-Cookie suppression that Joomla specifically needs (WordPress doesnโt have this problem; Joomla starts a session for every guest and SiteGroundโs edge refuses to cache a response with Set-Cookie).
What it does
| Behavior | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Automatic cache purging | Articles, categories, and menu items โ when you save, delete, or change state, the relevant cached pages are purged from SiteGroundโs edge. |
| Smart purge queue | Collects affected URLs during the request and purges them efficiently at the end. If too many URLs are dirty, performs a single full cache flush. |
| HTTP cache headers | Sets X-Cache-Enabled: True on cacheable pages so SiteGroundโs reverse proxy knows what to cache. |
| Set-Cookie suppression | Strips Joomlaโs session cookie on cacheable anonymous GET responses so SiteGroundโs edge can actually cache them. Defaults ON. Excluded URLs and components retain full sessions for forms and CSRF. |
| URL and component exclusions | Configure paths and components that should never be cached. Ships with com_users, com_finder, com_contact, and com_privacy excluded by default so logins, search, contact forms, and privacy consent pages work out of the box. |
| Admin toolbar purge button | One-click Purge SG Cache button in the Joomla admin top bar. Visible on every page; configurable simple-purge or dropdown-with-custom-paths mode. |
| Status panel and live diagnostic log | Live tiles on the pluginโs settings page show SiteGround detection, daemon reachability, and Set-Cookie suppression state at a glance. The Logs tab shows every cache decision in real time, with filters and an expandable per-entry JSON detail view. |
| Logged-in user handling | Defaults to bypassing the cache for authenticated users so they always see their own session state. Configurable. |
Installing it
- Download the latest release zip from the link near the top of this page.
- In Joomla admin, go to System โ Install โ Extensions and upload the zip.
- Thatโs it. The plugin auto-enables. Open System โ Plugins โ SiteGround Cache to see the status panel and review the defaults.
Using it
The shipped defaults are correct for almost every Joomla site running on SiteGround. Confirm the SiteGround Hosting tile on the Plugin tab shows Detected โ thatโs the only signal the plugin needs to start working. From there, content changes automatically trigger purges; the Logs tabโs verbose mode is available if you need to see whatโs happening under the hood. Your SiteGround dashboardโs cache ratio should climb over the next 24โ48 hours as the edge fills with cached pages.
Requirements and platform
Joomla 5.x or 6.x. PHP 8.1 or later. SiteGround hosting โ the plugin communicates with SiteGroundโs caching daemon via a UNIX socket that only exists on SiteGround servers. It will install cleanly on any host but cache operations will only fire on SiteGround. The plugin detects non-SiteGround hosting at install time and renders a clear warning in the admin so you know.
Open source
Cybersalt SiteGround Cache is released under the GNU General Public License v2 or later. Source on GitHub. Report bugs and request features through GitHub Issues. The cache communication protocol was learned by studying SiteGroundโs Speed Optimizer plugin for WordPress (GPLv3); no WordPress code was copied โ this is an independent Joomla implementation. Not affiliated with or endorsed by SiteGround.
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