Your Joomla!® website, probably like most if not all websites, contains many, many files that "make" your website function.
There are CSS files (Cascading Style Sheets), php files, javascript files.
Joomla itself, and installed extensions, will have these files.
Every-time your website is loaded into your site visitor's browser, the required files have to be loaded.
If there are several files of each file type this loading of multiple files takes time and is one aspect that determines to one extent or another how fast your website loads. Remember waiting for that rotating loading symbol ?
We can reduce the number of files loaded by combining them into the minimal quantity possible. Ideally, this will be one file. realistically this may be one or two files of each file type. This is file optimisation.
So when your visitor views a page the loading speed is reduced. Great news. Your visitor is not so likely to get fed up waiting.
This is a package that is highly configurable with multiple levels of optimisation.
JCH Optimize provides this package to achieve file optimisation by combining files.
Available are two types:
- Core (Free)
- Pro (Paid)
The table below gives you a comparison of JCH Optimize Professional version versus Free version features.
As with all extensions, components and plugins - this one also gets updated to reflect new and changing practices and developments.
The comparison table below is based on version: 7.3.3 - the latest available as of: 04th December 2022.
Where there may be any discrepancy between this article and the developer's official website - you are advised to consult JCH Optimize where you can download the free version, have a read, as well as ask the developer pre-sales questions.
Disclaimer
This article is published in good faith to bring you Joomla tools that UsingJoomla.com uses
UsingJoomla.com is not affiliated to or endorsed by JCH-Optimize.net
UsingJoomla.com does not receive any fees or favours for promoting this tool
| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Combine CSS Files Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude CSS Files (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Minify CSS Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude menu items Selectable options are: 1) 'By URL' 2) 'By menu selection' |
Yes | Yes |
Replace @imports in CSS Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Include in-page CSS Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude CSS files from specific (named) extensions (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude individual Internal STYLES Declarations (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Exclude ALL internal STYLE declarations Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Remove CSS Files (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Enable Combine Files |
Yes | Yes |
Optimise .htaccess file |
Yes | Yes |
Order plugin |
Yes | Yes |
Generate new cache key |
Yes | Yes |
Clean cache |
Yes | Yes |
Add image attributes |
Yes | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
 Sprite generator |
Yes | Yes |
| Sprite build direction options (x2) Drop down list of options are: 1) 'Vertical' 2) 'Horizontal' |
Yes | Yes |
| Sprite Generator - wrap images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
| Sprite Generator - exclude images from sprite (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
| Sprite Generator - include additional images in a sprite (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
HTTP/2 push |
Yes | Yes |
CDN / Cookieless domain options |
Max. 1 domain |
Max. 3 domains |
CDN / Cookieless domain - Scheme options (domain 1) Drop-down choices are: 1) 'Scheme relative' 2) 'HTTP' 3) 'HTTPs' |
Max. 1 domain |
Max. 3 domains |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
CDN / Cookieless domain static file types to include. Individually selectable per domain - Domains 1, 2 and 3 Checkbox choices are: 1) 'CSS' 2) 'png' 3) 'gif' 4 ) 'ico' 5) 'pdf' 6) 'js' 7) 'jp(e)g' 8) 'bmp' 9) 'webp' 10) 'svg' |
Max. 1 domain |
Max. 3 domains |
| Lazy Load Images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
| Lazy load images - lazy load iFrames Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
| Lazy load - exclude images (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
| Lazy load images - auto size images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
| Lazy load images - lazy load background images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
| Lazy load - audio / video Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
| Lazy load - exclude given folders (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
| Lazy load - exclude these classes (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
| Lazy load - Enable effects Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise CSS delivery |
Yes | Yes |
Optimise CSS delivery Number of elements selectable from 4 pre-set settings in drop-down list: 1) '200 elements' 2) '400 elements' 3) '600 elements' 4) '800 elements' |
Yes | Yes |
Debug plugin |
Yes | Yes |
Combine Javascript files Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Minify Javascript Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Include in-page Javascripts Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Include in-page Javascripts Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Defer or load Javascript asynchronously Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude Javascript while preserving execution order Exclude Javascript files from extensions (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude Javascript while preserving execution order Exclude Javascript files (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude Javascript while preserving execution order Exclude individual internal SCRIPT declarations (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude Javascript while preserving execution order Exclude ALL internal SCRIPT declarations Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude files without maintaining the original execution order of files on the page Exclude Javascript files (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Exclude files without maintaining the original execution order of files on the page Exclude Exclude Javascript files from extensions (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Exclude files without maintaining the original execution order of files on the page Exclude individual internal SCRIPT declarations (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Do not move these files to the bottom of the page Javascript files (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Do not move these files to the bottom of the page inline Scripts (Type or select some options) |
Yes | Yes |
Cache lifetime can be selected from 10 pre-set options: 1) '15 Minutes' 2) '30 minutes' 3) '1 hour' 4) '3 hours' 5) '6 hours' 6) '12 hours' 7) '1 day' 8) '2 days' 9) '7 days' 10) '2 weeks' |
Yes | Yes |
4 Combined file delivery options available 1) 'Static CSS and javascript files' 2) 'PHP with query' 3) 'PHP using url rewrite with .htaccess' 4) 'PHP using url rewrite (without Options +FollowSymlinks)' |
Yes | Yes |
Use try-catch Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Gzip Javascript and CSS Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Minify HTML Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Include all extensions Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Include all extensions Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Include PHP and external resource Files This feature is in Beta stage Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
Yes | Yes |
Miscellaneous - page cache Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Miscellaneous - page cache type Selectable from drop-down list: 1) 'System - Page cache' 2) 'LiteSpeed Cache plugin' |
No | Yes |
Add dynamic CSS selectors (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
Optimise Google Fonts |
No | Yes |
HTTP/2 push - exclude deferred files |
No | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
HTTP/2 push - push CDN files Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
HTTP/2 push - exclude deferred files Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
HTTP/2 push - File types applicable 4 Checkboxes to select from: 1) 'style' 2) 'script' 3) 'font' 4) 'image' |
No | Yes |
HTTP/2 push - include files (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
HTTP/2 push - exclude files (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
CDN / Cookieless domain custom extensions (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes (Domain 1 only) |
CDN / Cookieless domain - preconnect CDNs Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - global options - ignore optimised images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Optimise images - global options - Next-Gen images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - global options - Support old browsers Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - global options - Auto resize images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - global options - manually optimise images - Recurse in subfolders Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - restore original images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise images - Delete backup images Selectable options are: 'Yes' or 'No' |
No | Yes |
Optimise CSS delivery - remove unused CSS |
No | Yes |
Optimise CSS delivery - CSS dynamic selectors (Type or select some options) |
No | Yes |
Smart combine |
No | Yes |
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| JCH Optimize | ||
| Features | Core (Free) |
Pro (Paid) |
Page cache |
No | Yes |
Remove unused CSS |
No | Yes |
Reduce DOM |
No | Yes |
Download ID field |
No | Yes |
Combine CSS and Javascript files |
No | Yes |
Smart combine CSS and Javascript files |
No | Yes |
HTML minification level can be selected from 3 pre-set options: 1) 'Basic' 2) 'Advanced' 3) 'Ultra' |
No | Yes |
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Notes
Lazy loading
The opposite of 'Eager Loading', 'Lazy loading', also known as 'asynchronous loading', is a method used in web development and design to delay initialisation (or delay the display) of an item such as an image until the point at which the image, or item, is needed - typically when it is scrolled into view.
Lazy Loading can contribute to better website efficiency - making it good in cases where website content is accessed and initialisation times need to be reduced, or kept at a minimum.
For example, delaying the loading of images on a webpage until they are needed (such as when they come into view) can make the initial display of the web page faster.
Sprite / Image Sprites
An 'image sprite' is a collection of images put into a single image.
A webpage with many images can take a long time to load and generates multiple web server requests.
Using 'image sprites' will reduce the number of web server requests (and so improve web page loading speed).
As with most "Free versus Pro" extension versioning the Pro version contains features not available in the Free version.
usingjoomla.com suggestion
First, try the Core (Free) version
When you are happy with the functionality and set up process and find you want more - subscribe to the Pro (Paid) version
JCH-Optimize requires an element of configuration. Depending on what other packages you have installed on your Joomla website you may find the need to tweak the settings which includes the ability, when needed, to exclude combining files from other named / specific feature on your website. But this does not have to mean that your site load speed will be "poor".
Remember
If you can:
For example, reduce CSS files from 16 files loaded individually down to 3 or 4 files . . .
you will have made a load speed improvement.
The following Language Translations are available for JCH Optimize, the default language is English.
These language Translations are available from the JCH Optimize website.
| Language |
 German |
 Italian |
 Russian |
 Turkish |
 Ukrainian |
Note
The Language Translation files are provided by third-party translators
The file usefulness and accuracy cannot be guaranteedJCH Optimize for Joomla translation packs
