A link checker has to make many requests, so it is fair to ask what it does to your server. This guide explains when the plugin works, how it limits itself, and what you can adjust.
What You’ll Learn
- When the plugin runs
- How the scan limits its load
- What visitors see
- How to lighten a scan further
When It Runs
Broken Link Fixer only works when you start a scan, or in Pro when a scheduled scan starts. It adds nothing to your pages: no script, no style, and no extra request for a visitor.
How the Scan Limits Itself
- It runs in small steps, a few pages and a few addresses at a time, so no single request is long.
- Each address is checked once, even when it appears on many pages.
- Requests have a short time limit, so a slow website cannot hold the scan up.
- Results are stored in their own tables, so your options and post meta stay clean.
What Visitors See
Nothing changes. The scan reads your pages the way a visitor does, which is the same load as a few extra page views, spread out over the length of the scan.
In Pro, redirects are a quick indexed lookup on each page request, and the 404 Monitor writes only when a page is not found.
Lightening a Scan
- Turn off Check External Links in Options if you only need your own site checked.
- List slow or protected websites in Exclude URLs.
- In Pro, set a Request Throttle to wait between requests, run scans at a quiet hour with Scheduled Scans, and turn off Check Assets for a lighter scan.
This is available in Broken Link Fixer Free and Broken Link Fixer Pro.