How to Make WooCommerce Plugin High Performance Order Storage Compatible

What is High Performance Order Storage

High performance order storage is a new feature in WooCommerce that enhances the performance of the online store with a large order volume. HPOS stored order data in the dedicated table separate from other WordPress data. This makes it faster to access and query.

To make your WooCommerce plugin high performance order storage compatible, first, you need to do these:

• Optimize Database Table – The orders you receive through WooCommerce are saved in the WordPress database, and it is essential to optimize the database table that stores order data. You can use database optimization plugins, like WP-Optimize or WP-Sweep to get rid of unnecessary data. By maintaining a clean and well-organised database, you can significantly improve the efficiency of your order storage system.
• Use Caching – Caching is a technique that can significantly improve the speed of your WooCommerce store. It saves often-used information, which means your server doesn’t have to work as hard to get orders quickly. You can do this by using plugins like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache, or by using server-level caching solutions. These caching techniques help your store show orders faster on your site.
• Use Indexing – Adding the right indexes to your database tables can make your queries work better. Make sure that the order table has the right indexes to speed up searching and finding stuff. Index columns that are frequently used in your queries, such as order ID, customer ID, and product ID.
• Use a High Performance Hosting Service – Choose a hosting provider that’s great at handling WooCommerce and make sure they have a server that works really well for an online store. If possible, you can also consider using a dedicated or VPS server because they give your website more resources.
• Use of Custom Fields – Custom fields in WooCommerce can help store special data, but their excessive use can make things slower. So it is essential to use them when you really need them, to ensure optimal system performance.

Benefits of using HPOS in WooCommerce

Here are the key benefits of using HPOS in WooCommerce:

• Enhanced Scalability: It efficiently manages large order volumes, perfect for growing businesses and peak shopping seasons.
• Faster Performance: HPOS’s redesigned database ensures quicker order processing and page loads by reducing query load.
• Enhanced Database Optimization: Storing orders in dedicated database tables minimizes clutter and enhances your website’s performance.
• Better Reporting Accuracy: HPOS improved data segmentation and ensured greater accuracy for analytics and reporting.
• Easier Maintenance: Efficient data organization simplifies backups, queries, and maintenance tasks.
• Future-Ready: HPOS supports future WooCommerce features, ensuring your store remains compatible with upcoming updates and advancements.

How to Make WooCommerce Plugin High Performance Order Storage Compatible

To make your WooCommerce plugin high performance order storage compatible, you need to follow these steps:

• Declare your plugin’s compatibility with HPOS- To declare your plugin’s compatibility with HPOS, you can add the following code to your plugin’s main file.

add_action('before_woocommerce_init', 'before_woocommerce_hpos');

function before_woocommerce_hpos (){ 

        if ( class_exists( \Automattic\WooCommerce\Utilities\FeaturesUtil::class ) ) { 

                \Automattic\WooCommerce\Utilities\FeaturesUtil::declare_compatibility( 'custom_order_tables', __FILE__, true ); 

        }

}

• Use the WooCommerce API for getting/setting order & order meta- You can use the wc_get_order() function instead of the get_post() function to retrieve order data.

// Instead of
$order = get_post( $order_id ); // returns WP_Post object.
// use
$order = wc_get_order( $order_id ); // returns WC_Order object.

To work with metadata, use the update_/add_/delete_metadata methods on the order object, and then save it. WooCommerce will handle where to store the data automatically.

// Instead of following update/add/delete methods, use:
update_post_meta( $post_id, $meta_key_1, $meta_value_1 );
add_post_meta( $post_id, $meta_key_2, $meta_value_2 );
delete_post_meta( $post_id, $meta_key_3, $meta_value_3 );
get_post_meta( $post_id, $meta_key_4, true);
// use
$order = wc_get_order( $post_id );
$order->update_meta_data( $meta_key_1, $meta_value_1 );
$order->add_meta_data( $meta_key_2, $meta_value_2 );
$order->delete_meta_data( $meta_key_3, $meta_value_3 );
$order->get_meta( $meta_key_4, true );
$order->save();

Calling the save() method is a relatively expensive operation, so you may wish to avoid calling it more times than necessary. (for example, if you know it will be called later in the same flow, you may wish to avoid additional earlier calls when operating on the same object).

• Verify if the post is a WooCommerce Order- You can verify if the post is a WooCommerce order using this code:

if ( ! function_exists( 'wkwc_is_wc_order' ) ) {
    /**
     * Check is post WooCommerce order.
     *
     * @param int $post_id Post id.
     *
     * @return bool $bool True|false.
     */
    function wkwc_is_wc_order( $post_id = 0 ) {
        $bool = false;
        if ( 'shop_order' === OrderUtil::get_order_type( $post_id ) ) {
            $bool = true;
        }

        return $bool;
    }
}

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