Configure Varnish (TM) for WordPress

NOTE: The steps below assume that WordPress is already running at the root URL of the server, such as at http://wordpress.example.com/, and that Varnish ™ is enabled. Varnish ™ is disabled by default, but you can enable it by following the instructions in our Varnish ™ guide.

Download the different files used in the example:

• wordpress.vcl

Nginx

Follow these steps:

• Log in to the server console using SSH.

• Backup the Varnish ™ configuration file:

  $ sudo cp /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl.backup
  

• Add the WordPress-specific Varnish ™ configuration by executing the following commands:

  $ sudo cp wordpress.vcl /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl
  $ sudo sed -i 's/port\s*=\s*"[^"]*"/port = "80"/g' /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl
  

• Restart Varnish ™:

  $ sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh restart varnish
  

• Open port 81 in the server firewall.

• Check if your website is being served properly by Varnish ™ on port 81 by adding :81 to the domain name in your browser.

• If Varnish ™ is working correctly, switch the Nginx and Varnish ™ ports and activate Varnish ™ on port 80:

  $ sudo sed -i 's/listen .*80;$/listen 81;/g' /opt/bitnami/nginx/conf/bitnami/bitnami.conf
  $ sudo sed -i 's/=80/=81/g' /opt/bitnami/properties.ini
  $ sudo sed -i 's/port\s*=\s*"[^"]*"/port = "81"/g' /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl
  $ sudo sed -i 's/VARNISH_PORT=.*$/VARNISH_PORT=80/g' /opt/bitnami/varnish/scripts/ctl.sh
  $ sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh restart
  

• Remove the firewall rule for port 81.

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