How to flush Joomla caching plugins

This article describes how to clear cache in Joomla 3.3.6.

Caching plugin is one of the website optimization methods that speed up the loading of your site.
What it basically does is make a static copy of your dynamic site to reduce server rendering times.

Caching is added to Joomla`s functionality by default, thus, it is the easiest way to turn on caching for your Joomla site.

To enable caching function in Joomla, follow the steps below:

1. Log in Joomla Administrative Back-end and go to System > Global Configuration

2. Click on the System link, find the section called Cache Settings and select one of “On” caching options and save the changes

3. Go to Extensions > Plugin Manager

4. Find System-Cache in plugin list and enable it

Now the caching system is enabled and functional. For clearing the cache, navigate to System > Clear Cache

You will see the list of the cached items and pages, click Check All and then Delete on the left

Unlike the embedded Joomla cache system, some caching plugins provide with more functionality and can perform other maintenance tasks.

The following caching plugins are covered in the article:

JotCache
Cache Cleaner
Quick Cache Cleaning (QCC)

JotCache is one of the exceptional Joomla cache plugins that is available for different Joomla versions, so you do not need to worry about plugin compatibility with the version of your Joomla site.

In order to clear the cache in JotCache plugin, do the following:

1. Log in Joomla Administrative Back-end, go to Components > choose JotCache

2. Click on Delete All in order to clear all cached pages in the list below

Once done, you will see the message that the cache has been successfully cleared and the list with the cached pages will be emptied

With Cache Cleaner you do not have to waste your time on checking and deleting expired files or temp folder, as you can clear all cached items in one click.

You can clear cache in Cache Cleaner plugin in the following way:

1. Log in Joomla Administrative Back-end, go to Extensions > Plugin Manager

2. Go to Administrator Module Options, choose ‘Yes’ for Display Toolbar Button and save the changes

Once done, the Clean Cache button will appear in your Dashboard

Quick Cache Cleanding (QCC) is a fast administrative module that performs such tasks as global check-in, clear cache and purge expired cache. It is simple in use and installation.

One it is installed, the first thing you need to do is to change the plugin status and enable ‘Clean Cache’ button.

You can do it the following way:

1. Log in Joomla Administrative Back-end, select Extensions > Module Manager

2. Change the module type from ‘Site’ to ‘Administrator’ on your left choose QCC – Quick Cache Cleaning in the list

3. Choose the position ‘menu’, ‘status’, ‘toolbar’ or any other (depending on the view type) that will determine the way you will be seeing the QCC menu in the back-end

4. Set the status to Published and save the changes

Once the plugin is configured, you can enable it as follows: go to Extensions > Plugin Manager

Find the plugin ‘System – Quick Cache Cleaning’ and enable it

Depending on what position type you have chosen in Module Manager, you will see the Quick Cache Cleaning menu everywhere in the back-end of your Joomla site.

Click on it and select Clean Cache